A militant group, the Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters of Niger Delta, SEFFND, has said it would mention the names of military officers involved in crude oil theft if the Federal Government has the willpower to investigate and prosecute the culprits.
Self-styled General Commanding Officer of SEFFND, Agadagba I, popularly known as 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”.
Throwing its weight behind the leader of the Niger Delta People Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, who, last month, accused the Nigerian Navy and Army of oil theft in the Niger Delta, the group stated that: “The allegations levelled against the military cannot be farther from the truth”.
Agadagba asserted that military men are highly culpable in activities of economic sabotage vis-à-vis crude oil theft and bunkering and it is disheartening for the military to deny their culpability.
He, however, stated categorically that not all of them are involved in crude oil theft, but the allegations made by Dokubo-Asari 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 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”, the General Commanding Officer stated.
He also stated 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 elites, and elder statesmen that could create tension, insecurity, and disunity among other ethnic nationalities.
He further explained that 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.
The Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters of Niger Delta is awash with self-centered activities as exemplified by the leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo and the Human Rights Writers Association, HURIWA, which have been issuing unwarranted statements based on ethnic bias, religious sentiments, and destructive tendencies to misinform the public, Agadagba asserted.
“Such statements from Mr. Damian Okereke, and Mazi Okwu of Ohaneze Ndigbo, as well as the National Coordinator of HURIWA, Mr. Emmanuel Onwudiko, should stop henceforth.
“They should stop playing the ostrich with their unprofessional, unguarded, provocative, and misleading information just to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of Dokubo-Asari, who is a patriot and nationalist.
“We will no longer fold our arms and close our eyes, hence we want to clarify that we will not tolerate or condone any further attacks on the personality of Alhaji Dokubo-Asari, who is a well-respected chief in Kalabari Kingdom, and in Ijaw nation, as a Defender of the Niger Delta region”, the General Commanding Officer also warned.
The militant group expressed its shock that the Ohaneze Ndigbo and HURIWA had never come out to condemn the senseless and devilish activities of the Independent People of Biafra and the Eastern Security Network, saying, their activities have caused the loss of lives of several innocent Nigerians, properties, and a mass exodus of people from the east to other parts of the country.
