Presidential Amnesty Programme and Peacebuilding Outcomes in the Niger Delta: Evidence from Rivers State

Abstract

This article examines the contribution of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) to peacebuilding in the Niger Delta, with specific focus on Rivers State, drawing exclusively on secondary data from existing literature and documented evidence. Anchored in conflict transformation theory, the study situates peacebuilding as a process that extends beyond the cessation of violence to address structural and socio-economic drivers of conflict. Evidence indicates that the PAP played a decisive role in de-escalating militancy, reducing attacks on oil infrastructure, and restoring relative stability in the immediate post-amnesty period. Disarmament and reintegration initiatives, including training and financial incentives, contributed to short-term security gains and economic recovery. However, the analysis reveals that these outcomes were not matched by corresponding structural transformation. Persistent challenges, such as selective beneficiary inclusion, weak institutional coordination, politicisation of programme benefits, and inadequate attention to environmental degradation and local development, have constrained long-term peacebuilding outcomes. The article argues that the PAP functioned largely as a stabilisation mechanism rather than a transformative framework. It concludes that sustainable peace in the Niger Delta requires a shift from ex-combatant-focused interventions to inclusive, community-driven strategies that integrate governance reform, environmental remediation, and equitable development.