Renowned Niger Delta militant Asari Dokubo, on Friday launched attacks on the Nigerian Armed Forces, alleging that 99 percent of oil theft and bunkering in the Niger Delta is done by the Nigerian Army and the Navy.
Dokubo spoke shortly after a visit to President Bola Tinubu, commending the political will so far displayed by the President since his assumption of office.
He said even if one billion contracts are awarded to everybody in the Niger Delta to stop the oil theft and bunkering, it will not work because of kingpins fully armed by the Army and the Navy.
He disclosed that he has volunteered to end the menace knowing that he will be fully protected by the Tinubu’s administration.
Dokubo said: “The Army and the Navy intimidate the Civil Defence who are by statute the people who are supposed to guard these pipelines. The receive a lot of money from NNPC, PCL and the IOCs and just across the corner, you will see a houseboat a few meters from the House boat, you will see an oil bunkering refinery or tapping directly from oil well ends. It is very pathetic now. What is happening in the Niger Delta in the past eight years was unprecedented in the history of oil production anywhere in the world.
“The vandals do not only attack the pipelines, they have migrated from the pipeline and have gone directly to the oil wealth heads and they take directly from the oil wealth heads. They set up haphazard facilities they call local refinery, artisan refinery, this is crime against humanity. Because the livelihood of the people is being totally destroyed. The livelihood of the people is totally destroyed. And every meter you see a naval house boat or an army house boat stationed.
“So the main culprit are the Army and the Navy. And there are notorious naval commanders who are known to be kingpins of these bunkering activities. Even if they give 1 billion contracts to everybody in the Niger Delta, because these military men are armed from the Army and the Navy nothing will happen.
“The President has promised to take decisive action to make sure that these does not continue. It is brought to an end. It is very shameful. So I had volunteered to help, to assist and to do the things that are necessary to put a stop to this evil that is being perpetrated against the people of the Niger Delta, the oil community and the whole of Nigerians.”
