Prof Charles Quaker Dokubo, Special adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs

The Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme has warned the public about activities of some individuals parading as vendors engaged by the Office who have been sending text messages inviting unsuspecting beneficiaries of the programme for training in Owerri, Imo State, on August 19, 2018.

Murphy Ganagana, Murphy Ganagana, the Special Assistant (Media) to Prof Charles Dokubo, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger  Delta and Coordinator, Amnesty Programme who raised the alarm in a statement issued on Wednesday said the individuals, one of who he simply identified as ‘Mr. Franklin’ have also been soliciting for funds ranging from N50, 000 to N100, 000 for documentation of the prospective trainees.

“Reports indicated that some Niger Delta youths, including beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme may have fallen prey to the criminal antic of these individuals,” Ganagana said while warning that the Presidential Amnesty Office,  its Vocational Training Unit or  the Post Training Engagement Unit has not  scheduled training or refresher programme for Owerri, Imo State, on August 19, 2018, or any other date.

“Therefore, beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme are advised to disregard the SMS in circulation inviting them for training at Owerri, Imo State, as it is the machination of vicious fraudsters on the prowl for preys.

“It is pertinent to state that placement on training is a prerequisite for empowerment, and beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme do not pay for enlistment or documentation for a training programme. The Presidential Amnesty Office has official channels of communication through which our beneficiaries are notified of dates and venues for scheduled training programmes.

“In the same vein, the Presidential Amnesty Office hereby alerts members of the public on a fake Facebook profile purportedly operated by the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator, Amnesty Programme, Prof. Charles Dokubo.

“The Facebook Account which bears Hon. Charles Dokubo and has Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs as his address, is used in luring undiscerning members of the public into a chat which culminates into the introduction of victims to the purchase of a “Contractor’s Registration Form” at a fee of N250, 000 for award of contracts for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

“The Amnesty office reiterates that Prof. Charles Dokubo does not have, and has not operated a private Facebook Account since his appointment as Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator, Amnesty Programme. He has zero tolerance for corruption and does not request or receive money from contractors for award of contracts.

“Members of the public are hereby urged to disregard such posts on Facebook or any other social media platform as it did not emanate from Prof. Charles Dokubo.

“Any individual or group of persons involved in these scam are advised to desist forthwith as he/she will be reported to appropriate security agencies for investigation and prosecution,” the Amnesty Office further warned.