Buhari suspends Charles Dokubo, coordinator of Amnesty programme

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the suspension of Charles Dokubo, coordinator of the presidential amnesty programme.

Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.

Adesina said the suspension is in line with the recommendation of a caretaker committee set up to look into allegations and petitions against Dokubo.

“Following numerous allegations and petitions surrounding the Presidential Amnesty Programme, the National Security Adviser (NSA) set up a Caretaker Committee to look into the activities of the programme, on the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari,” the statement read.

“Part of the Committee’s task is to ensure that allocated resources are properly utilized in consonance with government’s objective of alleviating problems in the Niger Delta region, and stamping out corruption in the Amnesty Programme.

“Consequently, the NSA recommended to Mr President that the Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme, Professor Charles Quaker Dokubo be suspended, a recommendation that has been approved and which takes immediate effect.

“The President has also directed that the Caretaker Committee set up to review the programme should oversee the running of the programme henceforth, with a view to ensuring that government objectives are achieved.”

Dokubo had succeeded Paul Boroh, who was removed by the president in 2018 following allegations of corruption levelled against him.

Before his appointment, Dokubo was director of research and studies at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA).

He holds a PhD in strategic studies from the University of Bradford, United Kingdom, and hails from Abonema, Akuku-Toru local government of Rivers state.