Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF) Alhaji
Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, who was arrested on
Tuesday afternoon in Cotonou, Benin Republic but
was released on Thursday, has attributed his ordeal
to an allegation which emanated from Nigeria that
linked him to the dreaded Islamist sect, Boko
Haram.
He also attributed his travails in the hands of the
Beninoise authorities to persons, who he claimed
are opposed to the 2015 re-election bid of
President Goodluck Jonathan.
Looking unperturbed as he spoke with reporters
Friday night upon his arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe
International Airport, Abuja, Dokubo-Asari
described as lies, reports that President Jonathan
sent a Presidential Jet to bring him back to Nigeria
immediately he was released by authorities in the
neighboring West African country, which he has
adopted as his second home.
He said, “Crisis is normal, it can also happen here in
Nigeria, it can happen anywhere in the world. The
people and government of Republic of Benin have
no problem with me. But if people alleged that
somebody is a leader of Boko Haram, the
government of that country will investigate the
person.
“The allegation has much to do with 2015 because
when your read comments on social media, you find
out that somebody who is against President
Goodluck Jonathan, said they should vilify me and
make sure I die before 2015. But they are not
going to succeed. I am not going to die. I will be
present in 2015, and I will do what I am going to do
to ensure that Jonathan wins in 2015. There is
nothing they can do about it. This is their last fight
and it is so unfortunate that the way and manner
they are going with it shows how immature they
are”.
On the allegation that he was flown into Abuja
aboard a Presidential Jet, Dokubo-Asari said, “I just
arrived from Cotonou. I drove in my car from
Cotonou to Lagos Airport where I boarded Aero
Contractors flight to Abuja. The report is not true.
No presidential jet was sent to me.
“That report is an instigated falsehood. Most of the
things that have always been written against
President Goodluck Jonathan is also falsehood. A
section of the press in Nigeria is manipulated and
instigated.
“I do business in Cotonou, and I have been living in
Cotonou since 2008. Politically, people who are in
Nigeria are trying to fabricate lies, which are not
verifiable, and send it to the government of
Republic of Benin. So I was taken for interrogation
and they found that the allegations were false, and
I was promptly released with over 20 of my staff
who were also taken in”.
The ex-militant leader also spoke on his meeting
with government officials of Benin Republic after his
interrogation.
“I have met with the top and powerful people in
Republic of Benin, since I went to that country. I
have never had any reason to meet with their
government officials, but this crisis has made it
possible for me to meet with all the top
government functionaries of the Republic of Benin.
The crises has raised my profile in that country”, he
boasted.
