“This Is Not An Opportunity To Japa”, PAP Boss Warns Scholarship Beneficiaries

Dr. Dennis Otuaro, the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), has urged beneficiaries of the programme’s postgraduate foreign scholarship to make the most of their academic opportunities and avoid taking the privilege for granted.

He made the call during an orientation session on Thursday at the PAP headquarters in Abuja for over 140 recipients of the third batch of the scholarship.

These beneficiaries will pursue their postgraduate studies at universities across the United Kingdom.

Continuing the initiative from previous batches, each scholarship recipient was presented with a brand-new laptop to support their studies and research while abroad.

Otuaro expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for their unwavering support of PAP’s efforts to bring the Amnesty Programme closer to the Niger Delta community.

He emphasised that the scholarship opportunity should not be seen as a chance to relocate permanently, stressing that the beneficiaries must return to Nigeria upon completing their studies to contribute to the nation’s development, particularly in the Niger Delta region.

The administrator highlighted that the large-scale deployment, which began in January 2025 with the first batch and continued with the second batch in September 2025, is a part of a strategic initiative aimed at bridging the human capital gap in the region.

He pointed out the urgent need for qualified professionals in critical sectors to drive development in the area.

Otuaro also urged the beneficiaries to conduct themselves with integrity, respect the laws of the United Kingdom, and adhere to the rules of their respective universities.

He reminded them that their success would reflect the trust placed in them through the scholarship and their responsibility to use their education to benefit Nigeria.

The PAP helmsman said: “I don’t want any of you to abuse this post-graduate scholarship opportunity that is given to you.

“I am saying this because previous abuses have made our chances to become so slim in some European countries, but the U.K. Government has been very considerate.

“I want to admonish you as beneficiaries to go, complete your studies and come back and add value to our region and the country. That is why we are giving you this opportunity. This is not an opportunity to japa (abscond).

“We give honour and appreciation, first, to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCRF, for the huge support he has given to the Presidential Amnesty Programme, and also the Office of the National Security Adviser.

“I appreciate them immensely for supporting us in the direction we are going.

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“All we are doing is a deliberate effort to close the human capacity development gap in the region, so that at every point in time, we have people qualified for any field of endeavour.

“Some of us didn’t have the opportunity to benefit from scholarship awards, but today you are beneficiaries. Tomorrow it will be the turn of others.

“So this post-graduate scholarship is an opportunity for you to go and study, finish, and come back home. The deployment is based on skill-demand of the Niger Delta. Don’t overstay.

“At the end of your programme, return home, and if you have anything else you want to do, reapply (for visa) to go back there.

“Don’t use this opportunity to crash into other programmes that will give you problems.”

He encouraged them to maximize the sponsorship opportunity and make their families, communities, region, the Federal Government of Nigeria, and the President proud.

While congratulating the beneficiaries on their deployment, Otuaro thanked the U.K. government for accepting over 140 postgraduate students across three batches deployed by the PAP on January 11, September 11, and September 18, 2025.