Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Former Leader of Niger Delta ex-militants, Mujahid Asari Dokubo, on Friday, met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Aso Rock.
This is as Dokubo has accused the military of responsibility for over 99% oil theft in Nigeria.
Briefing State House Correspondents after the parley with Mr President, the ex-militants Leader, said the Nigerian Army and Navy “are responsible for 99% oil theft in the country.”
“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.”
He, however, pledged his support to the Federal Government to bring oil theft to “zero.”
Dokubo expressed hope that the Tinubu-led administration would “fish out” the culpable elements in the military.
Recall that the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, had recently, revealed that Nigeria lost 619.7 million barrels of crude oil valued at N16.25tn to crude oil theft between 2009 and 2020.
According to the agency, Nigeria spent over N13tn ($74 billion) on fuel subsidies between 2005 and 2021.
Dokubo told newsmen that oil theft and security dominated his nearly two-hour parley with the President.
He vowed to support Tinubu ground oil stealing in the country.
“Myself and my brothers have assured the President that there will be zero oil theft and vandalisation in the Niger Delta.
“We’re going to walk with an NPPCL and the IOCs to make sure that oil theft is brought to zero.”
Speaking on the festering insecurity in parts of the country, Dokubo said he did not believe that the military was under-equipped to tackle the menace.
He accused the military of blackmailing the Nigeria state by claiming it is ill equiped to tackle insecurity.
“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.”
Dokubo, however, kicked against the release of the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
He said that contrary to views in some quarters, Kanu’s release would not restore security to South-East but will worsen insecurity in the zone.
