The Ijaw Youth Network (IYN) has commended the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), High Chief Dr. Dennis Burutu Otuaro, for deploying Niger Delta youths to universities in the United Kingdom for postgraduate studies.

The group also praised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for supporting the programme and pledged to mobilise support for him ahead of the 2027 general election.

In a statement issued on Sunday, October 4, IYN President Frank Ebikabo and Secretary Federal Ebiaridor said the PAP had deployed 243 beneficiaries to UK universities under its 2026 offshore postgraduate scholarship programme.

They said 93 scholars were deployed in January and May, while another 150 beneficiaries attended a pre-departure orientation at the PAP headquarters in Abuja in August. The latest group has been travelling to the UK in batches to begin their studies.

The beneficiaries are pursuing courses including software engineering, cybersecurity, global public health, oil and gas engineering, law, fintech analytics, construction engineering management, forensic audit and data science analytics. They have also received laptops to support their studies.

The IYN described the scholarship programme as an investment in human capital development and said it could help address skills gaps while expanding opportunities for young people in the Niger Delta.

“Dr Otuaro has shown what purposeful leadership can achieve,” the group said. “These young men and women will return as engineers, lawyers, analysts, health experts and technology professionals, ready to contribute to the growth and development of the Niger Delta and the nation.”

The organisation also acknowledged the Federal Government and the Office of the National Security Adviser for their support. The PAP operates under the supervision of the Office of the NSA, headed by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

The IYN called for the scholarship initiative to be sustained, saying educational and professional opportunities could support economic empowerment and contribute to lasting peace in the oil-producing region.

The statement also urged Niger Delta residents to support Tinubu in 2027, citing the administration’s backing for the PAP and its scholarship programme.

“The President has stood firmly with the Niger Delta and with the Presidential Amnesty Programme, and he has stood by the Administrator as he delivers these wonderful results,” the group said. 

“It is only proper that the people of the region repay this steadfastness with their support at the polls in 2027. We pledge to mobilise for him.”

The endorsement reflects the IYN’s political position as organisations and political groups begin making their positions known ahead of the 2027 general election.