The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) under the administration of Dennis Otuaro has come under intense scrutiny for its expenditure of a staggering N48.7 billion over a mere nine-month period, allegedly without following proper due process. This revelation has sent shockwaves through the political landscape and raised serious questions about financial accountability within the program.

The investigation, spearheaded by SaharaReporters, has uncovered a web of financial irregularities and potential mismanagement within the PAP. A comprehensive review of the budget performance document, covering the period from March to September 2024, has exposed the astronomical sum spent on the program during just three quarters of the year.

Adding to the gravity of the situation, a document from the Auditor-General of the Federation, reported by SaharaReporters in November 2024, brought to light a shocking withdrawal of over N6 billion without proper auditing processes. This revelation has further intensified concerns about the lack of financial oversight within the PAP.

One of the most alarming aspects of the financial improprieties involves the payment of tuition fees to various universities for students under the PAP. The report indicates that a sum of N1.53 billion was disbursed for this purpose without any supporting documentation or records of student identities. This blatant disregard for financial regulations constitutes a clear violation of Paragraph 708 of the Financial Regulations, 2009, which explicitly states that payment should not be made for services not yet rendered or goods not yet supplied.

The report also highlights widespread breaches of Paragraph 603(i) of the FR 2009, which mandates that vouchers must contain comprehensive details of each service, including dates, quantities, distances, and rates. The absence of such crucial information raises serious questions about the transparency and accountability of the PAP's financial operations.

In a particularly troubling development, the report reveals that a total of N3.62 billion was raised without any internal audit checks. This lack of oversight opens the door to potential misuse of funds and underscores the urgent need for stricter financial controls within the program.

Further exacerbating the situation, the report uncovered instances of cash advances granted to PAP officers for the procurement of goods and services that far exceeded the stipulated limit of N200,000. Some officers were found to have received multiple advances without providing evidence of retiring previous funds, in direct contravention of existing regulations.

The financial irregularities extend to the purchase of store items, with N87.7 million reportedly spent without any evidence that the items were properly recorded in store ledger charges. This lack of documentation raises serious concerns about the potential for misappropriation of resources within the PAP.

Despite attempts to seek clarification, the management of the PAP has remained unresponsive to inquiries, further fueling suspicions of wrongdoing and a lack of transparency within the organization.

As this story continues to unfold, it is clear that the Presidential Amnesty Programme under Dennis Otuaro's administration faces a crisis of credibility. The alleged mismanagement of such vast sums of public funds demands immediate attention and a thorough investigation to ensure accountability and restore faith in this critical program.