After Scathing Editorial, Amnesty Boss Otuaro Begins Laptop Distribution to Students
By TarakiriVoice News Desk
Barely days after a searing editorial by TarakiriVoice condemned the worsening welfare crisis among beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), the Administrator of the programme, Chief (Dr.) Dennis Brutus Otuaro, has commenced the distribution of laptops to students under the Amnesty Scholarship Scheme.
The editorial, titled “Tears of the Neglected: The Dying Cry of Amnesty Students Under Chief Dennis Otuaro’s Watch,” had accused the PAP leadership of gross neglect, bureaucratic delays, and mismanagement leading to the death of one Miss Favor Benema Godswill, a 100-Level Business Administration student at Igbinedion University, Okada. Favor was reportedly a beneficiary of the Amnesty Programme who died following months of unpaid allowances and severe hardship.
The piece sparked outrage across social media and within the Niger Delta, drawing attention to what critics described as “systemic decay” within the Amnesty structure. The editorial questioned the moral justification behind the non-payment of students’ allowances despite an increased budget from ₦65 billion to ₦115 billion.
In what appears to be a swift response, the Amnesty Office on Friday announced the start of a laptop distribution exercise to students in universities across northern Nigeria — including Baze University, Nile University, Margaret Lawrence University, African University of Science and Technology, and Philomath University.
According to an official statement from the PAP communication team:
> “Yesterday, under the directive of our Principal, Chief Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro, laptops were distributed to students under the Presidential Amnesty Scholarship Scheme across universities in the northern part of Nigeria. This initiative is designed to enhance students’ learning capacity and overall productivity.”
The message, shared via official social media channels, added that the distribution exercise would continue in other regions, assuring students to “get ready” as the team would soon visit their institutions.
While supporters of the Administrator have hailed the move as a sign of responsiveness and renewed commitment to students’ welfare, critics have described it as a reactionary gesture prompted by public pressure rather than proactive governance.
A student beneficiary from Nile University who spoke anonymously said,
> “We’re happy to finally get these laptops, but the truth is, our real problem is survival. We need our allowances. Many of us are hungry, many can’t pay rent. We hope this is the beginning of real change, not just a photo opportunity.”
The TarakiriVoice editorial, now widely circulated, had called for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s direct intervention, accusing the Amnesty Programme of abandoning its core humanitarian mandate. The piece warned that the neglect of students could undermine the peace process that the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua envisioned when establishing the programme in 2009.
As the Amnesty Office moves to rebuild trust, many observers believe this gesture — though commendable — must be followed by immediate payment of outstanding stipends, improved communication, and transparent welfare management to restore confidence among beneficiaries.
Whether this marks the beginning of reform or a temporary public relations response remains to be seen. But for the grieving students of the Niger Delta, the hope is simple: that Favor Benema Godswill’s death will not be in vain — and that her tragedy will spark lasting accountability within the Amnesty Programme.
#PresidentialAmnestyProgramme #DennisOtuaro #NigerDelta #TarakiriVoice #FavorBenemaGodswill #EducationForEmpowerment
