The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, has raised the alarm over reports that some individuals are fraudulently collecting money from unsuspecting applicants and their families in connection with the ongoing PAP scholarship application process for the 2025/2026 academic session. Speaking on Wednesday during the opening of the third batch of a three-day Strategic Leadership, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation Training, organised in collaboration with the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja, Otuaro firmly warned against the illegal practice and maintained that the entire application process is completely free. "I have received reports alleging some stakeholders collect money from applicants, parents and guardians with fake promises concerning the ongoing scholarship application process for the 2025/2026 academic year," he said. "For the avoidance of doubt, the scholarship application process is free. No one should collect money from anybody; nobody should encourage someone to collect or give money to anybody for the scholarship exercise. It is free. "The scholarship programme is a deliberate scheme for our people for a better tomorrow, it is not for our today. My leadership is committed to ensuring transparency and accountability even in the management of the scholarship award process. "Those engaged in the alleged bad act should stop because I will not allow anyone to compromise the integrity of the application process. I urge all stakeholders to help discourage the collection of money for the scholarship. “We will take drastic steps against any one attempting to divert the opportunity of the scheme to swindle innocent people,” Otuaro warned. He described the alleged extortion as “regrettable and unacceptable,” noting that it undermines the credibility and purpose of the PAP scholarship scheme, which is aimed at improving access to higher education for youths in the Niger Delta and boosting the region’s human capital. Otuaro advised potential applicants and their families to resist any pressure to make payments, urging them instead to apply directly through the official PAP portal and await genuine feedback from the office. He assured that his administration is committed to a fair and transparent selection process. He further cautioned that anyone caught attempting to hijack the process for selfish gain would face severe consequences. While addressing participants of the workshop, Otuaro reminded them of their roles as community leaders and PAP’s peace ambassadors. "You are, in fact, also peace ambassadors of His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu, GCFR. Therefore, you are expected to deploy the knowledge you would gain from this training to strengthen the ongoing peacebuilding process of PAP because the development of the region is in the priority agenda of the President," he said. He urged participants to take the training seriously in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu, adding that the goal is to promote peace, stability and sustainable development across the Niger Delta.