Prominent Niger Delta youth leader and former militant agitator, Mujahid Asari Dokubo, on Friday visited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and laid the blame for the bulk cases of oil theft recorded in the oil-rich region on the feet of officers and men of the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Navy.
He made his position clear on the agitation for the release of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), saying that “releasing Nnamdi Kanu is rewarding criminality and rewarding gruesome murder of innocent people.”
The former Niger Delta militant leader also faulted claims that the Nigerian military is under-equipped to take on terrorism, banditry and other criminal elements, describing it as “blackmail.”
Dukubo, who spoke after meeting President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said: “The military is at the centre of oil theft and we have to make this very clear to the Nigerian public that 99 per cent of oil theft can be traced to the Nigerian military, the Army and the Navy especially.”
Dokubo, while disclosing that the twin issues of oil theft and security framed his nearly two-hour discussion with the President, said he assured the new administration of his support to ensure “zero” oil theft in the Niger Delta.
But he stated that the Tinubu-led administration must first “fish out” the culpable elements in and out of uniform in the military.
In April, the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) revealed that Nigeria lost 619.7 million barrels of crude oil valued at N16.25tn to crude oil theft between 2009 and 2020.
Dokubo told journalists: “Myself and my brothers have assured the President that there will be zero oil theft and vandalization in the Niger Delta.
“We’re going to walk with an NPPCL and the IOCs to make sure that oil tapped is brought to zero.”
Speaking generally on security, Dokubo stated that “the blackmail of the Nigerian State by the Nigerian military is shameful. They said they do not have enough armament and people listen to these false narratives. So, this blackmail must end. They have enough resources to fight.”
He also stood against the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, saying that it would not ease the tensions in the South-East region but would rather fuel impunity.
“During EndSars, Nnamdi Kanu was walking free. What did he do? He poured petrol on the flames of EndSars. Now, he has been caught. What of the people who have died? This is a criminal. He should face the law.
“Releasing Nnamdi Kanu is rewarding criminality and rewarding gruesome murder of innocent people. He should face the law for the actions and instigations he has carried out.”
Friday’s meeting is part of the President’s ongoing consultations with opinion leaders from the Niger Delta region.
Last week, the President also met other key figures from the region, including former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Timi Alaibe and former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr Dakuku Peterside.
During his first meeting with Security Chiefs on June 1, the President directed the military and other security agencies to crush oil theft.
