By PAULINE ONYIBE

The Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd) has said explained the reason behind the delay in the payment of N65,000 monthly stipends to some beneficiaries of the programme adding that the ongoing verification exercise has led to a number of irregular payments as stipends meant for some names under investigation had to be suspended pending the outcome of the probe.

Dikio while explaining the development in a statement signed on Wednesday by his Special Assistant on Media, Nneotaobase Egbe, however, reiterated the commitment of the PAP to ensure genuine beneficiaries received their monthly stipends regularly and timely.

He said PAP commenced an in-depth investigation into many complaints and petitions it received over the years from ex-agitators and other stakeholders on allegations of fraudulent conversions of beneficiaries’ names and other irregularities.

But he assured that the genuine beneficiaries affected by the ongoing probe would surely receive their stipends.

He urged the beneficiaries to remember that their stipends had always been paid on time, even before the 25th of every month in fulfillment of the promise he made to them when he assumed office.

The amnesty boss said that the development did not warrant any kind of protests or disturbance of the peace and urged the beneficiaries to shelve any plan for such action.

He directed all affected delegates to write to the office, specifying their names, phone numbers, Bank Verification Number (BVN), United Nations Code (UNCODE) and camps.

He said they should also attach their bank statements, amnesty identification card, amnesty certificate and current passport photograph to the letters. (New Telegraph)

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