Why Dokubo-Asari is fighting Jonathan • Ex-militant mad at revocation of multimillion naira contract

Fresh facts about the reasons former militant, Alhaji Mujahideen Dokubo-Asari, took on the Goodlluck Jonathan-led administration have emerged. The former militant, it was said, was angry over the revocation of his multimillion naira contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). 

Dokubo-Asari had, at a recent press briefing, come hard on the Federal Government, rubbishing the administration of President Jonathan and decrying some of the government’s policies, even though he had at some time in the past appraised the government highly.

Indications, however, emerged that the former militant’s anger was fuelled by the decision of the management of the NNPC to revoke the contract it awarded to some of the former militants for the security and protection of oil pipelines and installation in the Niger Delta area.

Dokubo-Asari, it was said, was hard hit by the decision, hence his attack against the Federal Government.

According to the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Honourable Kingsley Kuku, Dokubo-Asari was well notified of the decision to revoke the contract and the reason behind the action. The government, he said, wanted to ensure equity and proper protection of oil pipelines and not just to dole out patronage to some individuals in the Niger Delta because they are former militants.

Honourable Kuku, who is also the chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, disclosed at a media interaction at the weekend that the revocation of the contract by the NNPC was not punitive, but to bring sanity into the entire operations.

“It was taken to bring order to the entire programme. For instance, Dokubo-Asari, who is my friend, was told to register his organisation with the Corporate Affairs Commission. Upon registration of a proper company, he would, of course, have his staff working for him. If he had done that, he could then reapply for the same contract,” Kuku stated further, adding that government felt the need to properly channel security activities in the Niger Delta by ensuring that those given the contract to secure pipelines had full control of their areas and that they were from the particular area the pipelines passed through.

According to him, it would be improper for Dokubo-Asari, “who is from Kalabari, in Rivers State,” to take the contract to secure pipelines in Bayelsa ahead of a native of Bayelsa, just as it was doubtful if Tompolo would secure Kalabari area better than Dokubo-Asari. “Government felt that the security of the pipelines should be well spread, for maximum effects and that people from a particular area should secure the facility in their area. That way, we would have effective protection for these facilities,” he stated, adding that government wanted to do things properly and not just for anyone to be collecting millions of naira from government.

“What If another government comes tomorrow and decides to discontinue with the arrangement? I believe the decision was taken to even protect the interest of the like of my brother, Dokubo-Asari,” Kuku said.

Meanwhile, those who may be thinking that the amnesty programme of the government will run forever, should perish the thought as the programme, it is said, will terminate in 2015.

Kuku, who is the chairman of the programme, disclosed that it would officially terminate in 2015. He, however, disclosed that some elements had been finding ways to abuse the programme, even when it had since been declared close in 2009, alleging that some members of the military Joint Task Force were in league with some of such individuals, claiming they were militants and were ready to surrender their arms and embrace the amnesty programme.

But Kuku said that for the avoidance of doubt, the amnesty programme would not run forever.

“It should end in 2015,” he noted.