Asari-Dokubo dares Boko Haram leader

The leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, has dared Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, to be prepared to meet him on the battle field.

Asari-Dokubo, who dismissed the threat by the leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, against President Goodluck Jonathan, warned that 2015 would be “more than do-or-die.”

The Niger Delta region former fighter, who spoke Thursday night during a strategic partnership session with former militant leaders organised  by the Niger Delta Development Commission, recalled how Shekau threatened that the violent Islamic sect would soon come for President Jonathan.

Asari-Dokubo cautioned that the people of Niger Delta would not be deterred by any threat to them or President Jonathan and added that the 2015 election remained a challenge to the survival of the people of the region.

He said, “They are starting oo! Shekau (Boko Haram leader) said in his video that we should not play with them. He said ‘Goodluck, I am coming for you. Niger Delta, we are coming for you.’ Are we going to allow them? They will shoot the guns; throw the bombs and that is when we will dance.

“2015 is more than do-or-die. It is our very survival that is being challenged; it is our very existence that is being challenged and we must tell them; you are a man and I am a man, we are going to meet at the battlefield. Be prepared, be watchful. The enemies should not be allowed. In this region, there will be only one vote.”

Asari-Dokubo also dismissed the call by the North for the scrapping of NDDC and the reduction of 13 percent derivation to five percent, adding that such call from the North will be ignored.

According to him, “The people from the North have said that NDDC should be scrapped. They said 13 percent derivation should be reduced to five percent and that nobody owns oil.

“We have to gather again and tell them (North) that they dare not do it (scrap NDDC and reduce derivation). If they (North) try it now, they will see it. It is because our brother is the President; that is why we are hanging it (peaceful).”

Calling on the NDDC to empower the people of the Niger Delta region, Asari-Dokubo lamented a situation where huge contracts were awarded to non-Niger Delta indigenes without consideration for the people of the region.

Ian Cleary