Oil Theft: Militants Threaten To Release Names Of Military Officers Involved

By Sola Omoniyi, Lagos

A militant group, the Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters of Niger Delta, SEFFND, has threatened to mention the names of military officers involved in crude oil theft if the Federal Government had the political will to investigate and prosecute the culprits.

Self-styled General Officer Commanding SEFFND, Agadagba I, aka River Don, in a statement after a meeting of the militants in Bayelsa State, said: “We know those involved, and can mention their names if the federal government can carry out without bias thorough investigations on them.

“The federal government has to probe how the military officers got their postings to the oil region, property, bank accounts, and luxurious lifestyle.”

They threw their weight behind the leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, who, last month, accused the Nigerian Navy and Army of oil theft in the Niger Delta.

The group stated, “The allegations levelled against the military cannot be farther from the truth.

“Military men are highly culpable in activities of economic sabotage vis-à-vis crude oil theft and bunkering. It is disheartening for the military to deny their culpability. However, we all know that they will not admit it openly.

“However, we must state categorically that not all of them are involved in crude oil theft, but the allegations made by Dokubo-Asaro are neither false nor to garner favour from the government.

‘While we appreciate the enormous sacrifices made by the military under the present democratic dispensation to safeguard the territorial territory of our dear nation, Dokubo-Asari, as a patriot and a core Nigerian leader, has high respect for the military hierarchy, or other made-up authorities, which he has often displayed.

“The military is at liberty to investigate the allegations, but we warn disgruntled elements quoting Dokubo-Asari’s statement out of context, apparently to create a rift or bad blood between him, law enforcement agencies, and the federal government to retrace their steps.

“They should immediately desist from such dubious acts, as no sooner than later, we will catch up with them. We will no longer tolerate and condone such statements and actions that are highly inflammatory and provocative.

“We wish to use this opportunity to state clearly that Dokubo-Asari is not at war with the law enforcement agencies in the country as he had been at the forefront of condemning inactions of hate speeches, and insightful statements emanating from some prominent elite, and elder statesmen that could create tension, insecurity, and disunity among other ethnic nationalities.

“Without minding whose ox is gored, Dokubo believes in one indivisible Nigeria and stands faithful to his belief as a core Muslim in which the almighty Allah is against lies, and disunity, condemning the actions of terrorist groups, and insurgents ravaging the Northern and Eastern parts of Nigeria.”