Igbinedion, Novena Universities, may be shutdown in October- INDI drops hint

Indications have emerged that Igbinedion University, Okada in Edo State and Novena University, Amai near Ogume in Delta State, may be shut-down next month, October, if the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (Rtd.) fails to pay Itsekiri PAP students still being owed in-training allowance.

President of the Itsekiri National Development Initiative, INDI and Coordinator of the Itsekiri Ex-agitators’ Forum, Comrade Dennis Mene, dropped the hint this morning, Wednesday September 22, in an exclusive telephone chat with Fresh Angle International, while reacting to a purported Whatsapp message, Col. Dikio sent to aggrieved Itsekiri PAP students, wherein the Amnesty Boss, was quoted to have said that the PAP is not owing any of its bonafide students.

Comrade Mene, called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Security Adviser, NSA to prevail on the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Col. Dikio (Rtd.) to immediately conduct investigation to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the perceived marginalization by the Itsekiri PAP students, “ rather than make hasty conclusion”.

He said: “The Itsekiri PAP students in Igbinedion University and Novena University, who were deployed between 2017/2018, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020, have been marginalized by the Amnesty Office. 21 of them were paid last in December 31, 2019, about 67 have not been paid a kobo till date. Our Ijaw brothers, who were deployed the same time, have been paid, while the Itsekiri PAP students, have been completely neglected, despite several letters to the Office of Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

“The Itsekiri PAP students have been asking, what is our sin? Is it because we are Itsekiris that we are treated this way? Some of them just graduated without payment, while others are in 500 level. This is not fair, we are all Niger Deltans”.

According to INDI, the affected Itsekiri PAP students, have done all within their reach to ensure they are paid; including tendering sworn affidavits, sending account details as requested and writing several letters to the Amnesty Office through their leaders, “but no positive response”.

“There is a case of a female Master student in Novena University, who graduated in 2019/2020 academic session, which the Amnesty Office claimed to have paid, but has not been paid.

“There is another case of a student in Igbinedion University, who was deployed in 2018/2019. He was only paid 2months recently and the Amnesty Office, is yet to pay the arrears.

“Some of them, who were deployed 2018/2019 were last paid their In-training allowance December 31, 2019 and no other payment till date.

“We also have eight students deployed in 2019/2020 to Novena University, who tendered their sworn affidavits, yet have not been paid”, Mene, explained.

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