Alhaji Asari Dokubo, a prominent Niger Delta leader and former agitator in the oil-rich region, has pointed fingers at the military, particularly the Army and Navy, holding them accountable for the alarming rate of crude oil theft in Nigeria. He made these accusations during a briefing with State House Correspondents after his meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House.
President Tinubu’s consultations with opinion leaders from the Niger Delta region prompted his meeting with Dokubo. In response, Dokubo expressed his willingness to support the current administration and shed light on the issue of the Navy and Army allegedly intimidating the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), whose duty is to protect the pipelines. According to Dokubo, these military forces should be held responsible for the country’s crude oil theft.
Additionally, Dokubo emphasized specific areas where President Tinubu should take decisive action, indicating that further personnel changes might follow after Godwin Emefiele and Abdulrasheed Bawa.
It is worth noting that President Bola Tinubu, who recently reaffirmed his commitment to curbing crude oil theft, has been engaging with key figures from the Niger Delta region. These include former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Timi Alaibe, and former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside.