Brigadier Paul Boroh,(retd) boss of the Presidential Amnesty Programme

Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

The Niger Delta Amnesty Office has described accusations of fraud against Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta/Coordinator Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig Gen PT Boroh (rtd) by a group which identified itself as NDAGG in a recent online video as ‘cheap blackmail and propaganda’ and a strategy to distract the presidential adviser from focusing on the works he has been assigned with.

In the video titled “Unprecedented Level of Fraud, Stealing & Corruption in Nigeria under President Buhari,” the group had accused the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs of embezzling the over N60 billion taken from the Treasury Single Account, TSA in connivance with the National Security Adviser.

The group also accused the Special Adviser of restricting agricultural empowerment/training Programme for Amnesty to his proxies, even as it also alleged that only 10 bags of rice was shared as Christmas relief material by the Amnesty Office.

The group therefore demanded for that the Special Adviser should step aside to allow for investigations of the allegations.

But in a rejoinder to the allegations contained in the video made available to this magazine, the Amnesty Office vociferously reject the very serious allegations even as it challenged NDAGG to come up with evidence to prove its claims against the Presidential Adviser in accordance with the legal maxim that he who alleges had the burden of proof.

Even as it asked the group to bring solid evidence of how the corrupt practices were perpetrated, the Amnesty Office provide information to show why the NDAGG claims in the online video against Brig. Gen Boroh (rtd) could not have been nothing but attempt at blackmail and extortion.

The office also pointed out that there was no way anybody could have embezzled N60 billion given the amount that has been released to it since 2015.

The Amnesty Office said, “On this issue of N60b, the Amnesty Office will continue to stress that; it is their usual fictitious manner through false and malicious accusations. It is a figment of the presenters’ imagination in his efforts of cheap blackmail and propaganda, a strategy to distract the office from focusing on the goods works of Brig Gen PT Boroh.

“The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta/Coordinator Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig Gen PT Boroh (rtd), was appointed by President Muhamadu Buhari on July 28, 2015, not the National Security Adviser (NSA). Appointments of Presidential Aides is done by the president himself.

“On this issue of N60b, the Amnesty Office will continue to stress that; it istheir usual fictitious manner through false and malicious accusations. It is a figmentation of the presenters’ imagination in his efforts of cheap blackmail and propaganda, a strategy to distract the office from focusing on the goods works of Brig Gen PT Boroh.

“Anyone who has followed activities at the amnesty office under the leadership of Brig Gen PT Boroh (rtd), can attest to the overall positive transformation in all areas. It is on record that the Amnesty Office has been very diligent in the discharge of its duties.

“The Brig Gen PT Boroh’s led Amnesty Office in2015/2016 and 2016/2017 Academic Sessions respectively deployed over 2,000 education qualified beneficiaries both offshore and onshore and all necessary payments were made.

“However, through the Training/Empowerment Programme re-awakened by Brig Gen PT Boroh, he has Trained and Set-Up over 4,000 beneficiaries in their choice areas of business ranging from professional trading and skills, agriculture, building material and commodities, restaurant and bar, timber saw milling, baking and confectionary, film making and videography, industrial safety etc., making them entrepreneurs (Self-Employed) across Niger Delta. The facts are there for everyone to see.

“As a public institution our records are open to all to scrutinize. In 2016, N20 billion was released to the office, 2016 budget virement additional N35 billion was released funds were vired from various budget lines in the 2016 Appropriation Act.

“In 2017, N65 billion was budgeted for, only about N35billion has been released yet making a total of N90billion that has been released from the Ministry of Finance under Brig Gen PT Boroh’s administration.

“However, in managing the 33,000 beneficiaries of the Amnesty programme, it is the responsibility of the amnesty office to pay monthly stipends, tuition fees and in-training allowances for offshore and onshore education delegates, training cost and in-training allowances for onshore vocational training delegates, payment for empowerment and setting up of already trained beneficiaries etc., therefore, it is not possible for anyone to divert N60b as claimed by the ndagg in their recent Facebook video.

“However, from the very first sentence in the video, the emotion of the hatched man is laid bare. The intent, as the opening line crudely puts it, is to paint the president Muhammadu Buhari’s administration black pointing accusing fingers to the National Security Adviser (NSA) and Brig Gen PT Boroh’s years of public service in the military as one characterized by “betrayals and treachery”.

“The rest of the malignant article rode along this line. Lies upon lies are lined up.

“It is normal for a public figure, a successful one for that matter, to attract occasional sneer, derision or outright envy. But it is abnormal when such a thing is turned into an organized mob of muckrakers with a mandate to smear the target personality by every available spit they could get. This is the case with an on-going mudslinging against the National Security Adviser (NSA) and Brig Gen PT Boroh (rtd).

“The instinct initially was to laugh this off and move on, as one of those propaganda and flimsy blackmail achievers like Boroh often encounter. However, on a second thought one is tempted to put out a response because the professional liar presented the ludicrously false statements, presented tissues of lies in a way that may look factual to unsuspecting public who knows not.

“Brig Gen PT Boroh (rtd), has never had divided attention since assuming the position of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta/Coordinator Presidential Amnesty Programme, He has executed his mandate in such a way that today, midway into President Buhari’s first term in office, great strides has been achieved in the Amnesty Programme.

“It should also be stated that as someone who has been actively involved in the resolution of Liberian conflict in 1994-1995, and resolution of Sierra-Leone conflict in 1999-2000, under the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission and in 2009-2010, the Chief of Staff of the United Nations Mission in Liberia, in 2010-2012 he was Commandant of the Nigerian Army Peacekeeping Centre, Kaduna, Nigeria, where he had Pre-Deployment Training of about 12,000 soldier’s before induction into the United Nations Mission in Darfur, Somalia, Liberia, Cote de Ivor etc. with his wealth of experience in Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR), he has made great impact and added value to the Amnesty Programme

“One is entitled to disagree or even hate Brig Gen PT Boroh (rtd), for whatever personal reason, bordering from stoppage of fraudulent contractors at the Amnesty Office, ensure more than 90% completion of job before final payment, maximum inspection, monitoring and evaluation of training and empowerment packages for beneficiaries etc.,

“Having said that, another non-sequitur claims on which the amnesty office finds very disturbing, is the notion that Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta/Coordinator Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig Gen PT Boroh (rtd), should step aside for investigations. This is barbaric and an insult to his personality.

“Lastly, for the record, the Amnesty Office vociferously reject the very serious allegations leveled against it. The legal rule has always been that he who alleges had the burden of proof.

“The ndagg should clearly bring solid evidence of how the corrupt practices were perpetrated. However, we find it expedient to restate the truth for the benefit of those who have not heard the truth before now and to clear the air on some of the distorted facts presented in the said media videos publications.”