In the midst of the current difficulties experienced as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy by the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration, by the strike action of the organized labour, the TU.C and the civil society in Nigeria which lasted for couple of days, resulting in the nation losing Billions of naira, a renowned crusader, the voice of the voiceless in the Niger Delta, an activist and leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force, Alh. Asari Dokubo, has launched “operation occupy our oil wells”.
Asari dropped the bombshell after the group staged a peaceful protest in the Rivers State capital, Port Harcourt on January 16, 2012.
Briefing Journalist after their protest march that shook some streets in Port Harcourt, the outspoken leader said the launch of the new operation is imperative in the view of the current situation in the country and to drive down their demand. The protest which attracted the presence of heavy security men started from Isaac Boro Park, through Ikwerre Road and ended at D/Line Agudama, the office of the organizers. Thousands of youths in their numbers witnessed the occasion which was peaceful and orderly.
Captured in a very relaxed mode despite the hot sun, Asari Dokubo was surrounded by his faithfuls whose leadership style has arrested them all.
Alh. Asari said the recent event was very disturbing, saying “our people are been killed in the North, when Goodluck was about to contest the president of Nigeria, the Northern leadership said that if Dr. Goodluck becomes president they will make the country ungovernable. Some of them in their campaigns said anybody who voted for Dr. Goodluck, their houses should be burned. After the election of April, they proceeded to kill Southerners and people of Northern extract who supported Dr. Goodluck Jonathan,” Alh. Dokubo stated.
Continuing, he said “since Dr. Goodluck won the election they have continued in their set objective to make Nigeria ungovernable,” adding, on the issue of, “Dr. Jonathan is not the first person to remove fuel subsidy. The former president Ibrahim Babagida removed subsidy five times, there were no disturbances and they did not occupy Nigeria.”
He said today DR. Goodluck has capitulated and the president should know that he is the commander in chief of the Armed Forces and that “we the people of Niger Delta are very much ready and we are in support not because the policies have been explained to us, but because it is their stock in trade.”
Asari Dokubo narrated that when Aguyi Ironsi became the Head of State from July 1966 to January 1967, he was murdered. Dr. Jonathan became acting president, then president after the election, they are demanding for his death. They have displayed miniature coffin of him, they are also doing graffiti of him. These things will not be tolerated,” he said, lamenting that NUPENG and PENGASSAN were adding insult to injury.
Asari cited the legal maxim “qui-qui mantato soso cedi”, which interprets that what is on the land belongs to the owners of the land, and warned emphatically that if the oil workers return, they cannot guarantee their safety and so should vacate and go. Dokubo further stated that the day operation occupy your resources begins, “we will proceed to occupy all oil platforms and all our oil facilities and we will make sure that those who have polluted our environment do not return.
On the time frame, he answered that the project has already commenced, saying they have already taken some oil platforms and more will be taken. ###
