Group Sues Attorney-General Malami, Amnesty Programme Boss, Dikio, Others Over N1.8billion Contract Payment

A peace advocacy group, Movement for Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta (MSDND) has sued the Interim Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd.), Minister of Justice and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and 17 others. 

The suit was filed over the disputed issue of payment of N1.8 billion for the purported supply of equipment to the looted Amnesty Training centre in Boro town in Kaima, Bayelsa State.

Abubakar Malami

Included as defendants are 15 companies involved in the supply of equipment to the Presidential Amnesty training centre. 

The MSDND, in the suit numbered FHC/PH/CS/177/21 filed at the
Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is seeking the
declaration of the court that by the 2nd and 3rd Defendants are statutorily required to by the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, make publications of any contract capable of being awarded in the Presidential Amnesty Programme. 

It also noted that the award of contract to the 5th to 19th defendants by the Amnesty office during the administration of Prof. Charles Dokubo is in breach of part IV, section 25 to 38 and part VIII, section 44 to 52 of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and therefore illegal, unconstitutional, null and void abinitio.

They also seek the declaration of the court that the 15 percent mobilisation payment advanced to the companies under Prof. Charles Dokubo leadership of the Amnesty office is illegal and an order that it should be refunded. 

"We seek an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Amnesty
office from making any payment to the companies involved in the alleged faulty
contract,” it also noted. 

Commenting on the development, the National Coordinator of the
Group, Comrade James Tekena, while addressing journalists, pointed out that the decision to approach the Federal High Court was not personal. 

He said it was not about the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Office, Col. Dikio (rtd.) but an action meant to stand against numerous pressures on the Amnesty office to make a fraudulent payment for supplies made and looted.

According to Tekena, though the group has forwarded a petition to the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police to open a fresh investigation into the 2019 looting of the Presidential Amnesty training centre, the persons involved in the sponsorship of the "disgraceful act at Boro town have resurfaced and are trying to cash in on their criminal act". 

"They are mounting pressure, with blackmail and perceived intimidation against the incumbent
Interim Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd.),” it said.

“As a Civil advocacy group involved in the promotion of good governance, probity and accountability, the Movement for Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta (MSDND) wants to commend the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and call on him to
remain resolute and not be intimidated into paying for alleged fraudulent contracts meant to further defraud the people of the Niger Delta region. 

“Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd.) should as a matter of honour use his reappointment to sustain his reforms in PAP. He should not allow persons with questionable characters to defraud the Presidential Amnesty office and cart away limited resources meant for the needed reforms for the
people of the Niger Delta region."

The Presidential Amnesty Training Complex located in Boro-Town, Kaiama, Bayelsa State was looted by unknown persons between February
11 and 15, 2019 under the former Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Prof. Charles Quaker Dokubo.

The looting, which lasted for five days, was done amid alleged connivance between some officials of the Amnesty office and some unknown persons. 

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