Niger Delta Stakeholders Condemn Allegation Of Funds Misappropriation Against Boyloaf

 

 

Some Elders of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Traditional Rulers and Women groups across the Niger Delta region have unanimously condemned a report by an online tabloid ( Premium Times)  that  Ebikabowei Victor-Ben aka Boyloaf was  involved   in an alleged financial misappropriation at the Presidential Amnesty Programme Office.

 

The  Niger Delta Stakeholders described  the report as a selective witch-hunt, a sponsored personal attack and a deliberate plan to cause disaffection and security breach in the region.

 

The key stakeholders, in a joint Press Statement issued in Yenagoa yesterday and signed by Bubaraye Daniels, stated that “The allegedly sponsored  report is misguided, misleading and a personal attack on Boyloaf by disgruntled and failed politicians who are  blaming him for their election losses.

  Daniels also noted that the amount quoted by the online tabloid was not only small  but insulting and belittling, given the thousands of lives lost and the monumental contributions made by these former Militant Leaders in achieving sustainable peace across the region that enabled the federal government and multinational oil and gas companies to explore, extract and export crude oil and gas products from the Niger Delta region.

The stakeholders called on the Federal Government to incorporate the structures and ideas of these Ex-militant Leaders in order to achieve peace and stability across the country, stating that “the peace in the Niger Delta region has allowed our nation to profit from the sales of crude oil and gas products.

 The statement continued  "Despite the fact that the report of the online tabloid is incorrect, Boyloaf is known by  his followers and millions of people across the region as a credible, upright former warlord, a formidable “war-machine” and a  disciplinarian, who in recent years has risen to the role of a great statesman, a peace and conflict resolution strategist and advocate.

 

"The Online Tabloid  has turned into a gossip and blackmailing medium and has done great disservice to its reputation as its mischief became obvious by  its decision to single out  Victor-Ben without listing other prominent former militant leaders that received larger amounts and are  paid in like manner by the PAP office for onward payments to thousands of delegates and beneficiaries in their various camps across the six (6) states in the Niger Delta region.”

 

"Let it be known that Boyloaf is not a civil servant nor a career politician. He is a statesman of high repute and loved by his people. Boyloaf was not only a co-founder, but he was  instrumental to the successful establishment of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and has continued to fulfil his obligations under the agreement reached with the Federal Government since 2009 to ensure sustained peace and stability in the region.

" Hardly can you find anyone across the region that understands the workings of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) better than Boyloaf. He has not only maintained the peace accord reached with the federal government but has transformed himself and thousands of his followers in ways unimaginable, both educationally and politically and has  contributed immensely to the political and socio-economic growth and development of the region and the country at large."

 

"Since the inception of the PAP, never has anyone heard that delegates from Boyloaf’s camp were protesting against the non-payment of their monthly stipends. These disgruntled and failed politicians making false and frivolous publications against Boyloaf should understand that no amount of blackmail or publications will sway Boyloaf from working to ensure peace in the region. Boyloaf has become an instrument for security and socio-economic growth in the Niger Delta region.”

Boyloaf’s records and reputation speak for itself and as we are all aware, no one better understands these security challenges and strategies more than Boyloaf. The Niger Delta peace is a collective action that must not be truncated by politically sponsored and incorrect publications," The statement reads.

Recall that  Premium Times had last Wednesday claimed that the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta was among Government MDAs that have violated the financial transparency laws by authorizing the payment of huge sums of public funds into private accounts.

 

The report partly stated, "The Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta tops the list of MDAs making some controversial payments. However, findings showed that it failed to state exactly how much was paid monthly to these leaders for onward payments to thousands of delegates in their camps.

 

The online  medium also  failed to account for the number of delegates in the various camps across the region, and they also failed to explain what other ways or mechanisms  the federal government should  utilize in paying thousands of ex-militants across the region if not through their private accounts.