40 Non Militant Youths Enrolls in UK Universities by Amnesty Office

Amnesty International

The Presidential Amnesty Office has enrolled 40 youths from violent impacted communities in the Niger Delta for formal education in the University of Liverpool, UK., an official said.

Mr Kingsley Kuku, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, made the statement at the Offshore Orientation and Departure Programme, organised for the beneficiaries in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the beneficiaries were enrolled to study the law, Mass Communication, Pharmacy and engineering courses.

He recalled that the beneficiaries were products of scholarship programmes, initiated by President Goodluck Jonathan, when he was the Governor of Bayelsa.

Kuku, who is also the Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, recalled that the Bayelsa Government awarded scholarships to 100 best students selected from primary school to tertiary institutions but the programme was stopped.

The presidential aide said the office would ensure that the programme succeeded because the beneficiaries were from violence impacted communities in Niger Delta.

He urged the beneficiaries to be patient and desist from vices that might disrupt their education programmes.

In his comment, the Chief Security Officer of the Amnesty Officer, Lt.-Col. Adewale Adekoya, urged the beneficiaries to see their

scholarship as a privilege and not to abuse it.

Adekoya urged the beneficiaries to desist from taking alcohol, drugs and engaging in other vices that could stop them to finish their educational pursuit.

Miss Enegi Nadum, a beneficiary, commended the amnesty office for the scholarship programme and promised to be good ambassadors of Nigeria and make the country proud.