They're hard to see clearly, but we agree that these appear to be mealybugs; they can be very common indoor plant pests, and are sometimes hard to eradicate. A spray of plain water should help knock many of them off, and yes, you can try horticultural oil (neem is one type) or insecticidal soap to treat the plant. You might want to test a small area first, to make sure it doesn't cause any phytotoxicity (plant tissue damage from chemical exposure) or remove lots of wax from the leaf. A few days after spraying, if the treated area looks unharmed, then you can presume the plant tolerates the spray well. Follow product label directions for use regarding how much to dilute (if purchasing a concentrate) and how often to re-treat, since more than one application may be needed to knock down a high population.

Your other treatment alternative is to use a granular (applied dry) systemic insecticide, applied to the soil that the plant then absorbs though its roots, which will work for several weeks at a time, though getting started can take a week or more for the chemical to make its way from roots into all above-ground parts. Dosage information is often determined by pot diameter, so check with the label directions for this information.

Miri