PAP praises NGO for transforming cultists, drug addicts in N’Delta

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has commended the Youth Rescue International Development Organisation (YRIDO), a non-governmental outfit, for positively transforming the lives of some known cultists and drug addicts in the region.

PAP’s Interim Administrator, Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd), who spoke at the weekend in Port Harcourt, during the 2022 graduation ceremony of repentant cultists, who passed through YRIDO’s programme, appealed to the government and other institutions in the region to support the initiative.

Dikio, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Research and Documentation, Mr Wilfred Musa, congratulated the repentant cultists for choosing a new path of life and described the efforts of the NGO, founded by an ex-agitator turned Pastor, Nature Keigha, as contributing to the peace in the region

He said: “We in the Presidential Amnesty Programme are extremely proud of YRIDO. It is hoped that governments in the Niger Delta region would also key in and support the program.

“These are people who have real stories to tell about life. They have been on a difficult journey. They understand what darkness is and have now seen light. It is a total transformation for them. We are happy they made the decision to exit darkness and embrace the light. We pray that God will use them all as influencers and agents of positive change.

“But I must add that it is not over yet. People will laugh at you but don’t hate them. Show them that you have truly changed from your old ways. Flee from your past completely. Hope and always pray. You paid the price to be here and you will definitely succeed.

“We sincerely look forward to this programme becoming bigger, an international event with a global calendar. A programme that will be held at stadiums with massive attendance.

“We call on government at all levels, corporate organizations and other entities to be part of this. We urge all the institutions that have a stake in the Niger Delta to work with you, support, encourage you and give you the resources that you need. I Like I said earlier, for us in the PAP, we have decided to identify with this program”.

On his part, the Executive Director of YRIDO, Pastor Nature Dumale Kieghe, said his fulfilment is seeing youths turn away from terrible, unprofitable lifestyles and embrace a new and righteous way of life.

He urged parents not to give up on their loved ones, saying there was always a possibility for every bad person to change.

He said: “The people you see here used to be rejected. But today they have been transformed by what we have added to their lives. We urge them to hold on and apply the training we have given them.

“The training we gave them had to do with character transformation; we have thought them a lot, including how to take care of themselves and their environment, and how to stay consistent because they were in camp for 12 weeks without going out. They were also taught how to build and maintain a relationship with God. So, we are very optimistic they will become useful to their families and the society at large”, he said.

Some of the graduates narrated their journey into cultism, drug addiction and different forms of criminality which almost ruined their lives until they came in contact with YRIDO just as they advised those still involved in crime to have a change of heart.