I was arrested for being a Boko Haram leader – Asari Dokubo

A former President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and leader
of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji
Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, who was arrested last week in
Republic of Benin, has accused those opposed to the second
term ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan of
masterminding his arrest.

Asari, who apparently betrayed emotion on arrival at the
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, Friday night,
also said he was arrested and interrogated by Benin officials
over an allegation from Nigeria that he is a leader of Boko
Haram.

Speaking to journalists at the airport, he also described as lies
the report that Jonathan sent a presidential jet to fly him into
Nigeria from Benin.

His words: "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 you
read comments on social media, you find out that people who
are against President Goodluck Jonathan said they should
vilify me, and make sure I die before 2015.
Asari Dokubo

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 they are going with show how immature they are.

"I just arrived from Cotonou. I drove in my car from Cotonou
to Lagos airport where I boarded a flight to Abuja. The report
is not true. No presidential jet was sent to me.

"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 variable, and send it to Republic
of Benin government. 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 former warlord, however, said his arrest was a blessing in
disguise as he had an opportunity of meeting with officials of
Benin 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 top government functionaries of the
Republic of Benin. The crisis has raised my profile in that
country."

Asked whether President Jonathan intervened to secure his
release, he said: "It is not just only President Jonathan that
intervened, Nigerians generally intervened. The number of
people that came into Cotonou the day I was taken in, and the
following day, were over one thousand."

Via: Vanguard