Posted by By Ise-Oluwa Ige on
LEADER of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, yesterday, reflected on his present ordeal in the 20 feet tall underground cell of the State Security Service (SSS) where he is being incarcerated and said the only regret he had was the refusal of the Ijaw leaders and elders to back him up on his proposal to engage, in 1998, President Olusegun Obasanjo's government in armed struggle.
ABUJA - LEADER of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, yesterday, reflected on his present ordeal in the 20 feet tall underground cell of the State Security Service (SSS) where he is being incarcerated and said the only regret he had was the refusal of the Ijaw leaders and elders to back him up on his proposal to engage, in 1998, President Olusegun Obasanjo's government in armed struggle.
Dokubo who dismissed President Obasanjo as an unreliable leader also narrated, yesterday, how he was allegedly deceived to surrender his arms in the creeks, worth N137 million to government only to be disappointed on the refund of the sum as promised.
The militia leader who temporarily went wild yesterday at the premises of the Federal High Court, Abuja where he volunteered the above information, however, said he had entered into an agreement with God to die in his struggle against the oppression of his people instead of negotiating his freedom with President Obasanjo.
He also faced a five-member team of Ijaw leaders led by a two-time minister, Alabo Graham Douglas, and advised that they should not enter into any agreement over his release with President Obasanjo, saying he would disappoint them.
'OBJ does not have respect for all of you," he said, pointing fingers at them, adding; 'He will not keep his words. Don't enter into any agreement with him.
'As for me, I have taken an oath with God that even if I die in the struggle, victory is assured for my people.
'Asari will die, my people will win. They killed Ken Saro Wiwa and others. What difference will it make if they kill me. I am 43. I am not afraid of death," he added.
He was to continue raving in court yesterday but for the intervention of the Ijaw elders who were present.
The five-member team of Ijaw leaders who calmed him down include Senator Oweifa; Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Chief Godknows Agali; Alabo Graham Douglas; Madam Anne Kio alongside one other person. And indeed, after he was spoken to, he stopped shouting.
When his trial resumed before the judge whom he had threatened to kill at the last adjourned date, he did not attack him as usual. He was calm in the dock all through a short proceedings which lasted less than 30 minutes, yesterday.
Earlier, all roads leading to the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court located on the OAU Quarters in Maitama, was, yesterday, cordoned off by men of the Nigeria Police Force as early as 7:00 a.m. with an armoured tank stationed at its main entrance. Policemen also manned the entire surroundings.
Every entrant including residents into the OAU Quarters was not only frisked but thoroughly questioned on his or her mission therein.
Although journalists and lawyers were allowed to drive into the OAU Quarters upon production of their identification cards, it was a thug of war entering the high court premises. Lawyers who could not explain properly why they were in court were also harassed. There were not less than 300 policemen on guard.
Vanguard gathered, yesterday, that the tight security was informed by the dangerous drama that characterised the last proceedings in Dokubo's case at the last adjourned date.
Supporters of Asari Dokubo in court at the last adjourned date were more than the armed policemen present. Security report indicated that if there were to be crisis at the last adjourned date, it was possible that men of the Nigeria Police Force around could have been overpowered by the militia men present in court, some of who were allegedly armed.
The security was tight from morning till about 11: 45 when Asari Dokubo was driven into the court premises in a dark blue Peugeot Partner with no registration number.
Asari who seemed to be regaining his weight stepped out of the van shouting that he was ready to lay his life down for the on-going struggle. He was led into the Courtroom Number 5 where his trial was to resume yesterday.
Immediately he stepped into the courtroom, he started shouting: 'Why should you prevent the press from entering? Why should you? Obasanjo has kept me in the underground cell for more than six months now and he doesn't want it reported."
But as he was to continue, he sighted some of the five-member team of Ijaw leaders who had come to pacify him and to inform him that there was an on-going deal for his freedom
He though showed respect for them as he decided not to make trouble again he faced them and counselled them thus: 'OBJ is a bloody liar. OBJ does not have respect for all of you. He will not keep his words. Don't enter into any agreement with him.
'I took oath with God that even if I die in the struggle, victory is assured for my people. Asari will die, my people will win. They killed Saro Wiwa and others. What difference will it make if they kill me. I am 43. I am not afraid of death," he said.
Immediately he took his seat, Asari would not keep quiet as he spat another venom: 'He (President Obasanjo) deceived me out of the creeks. I respected him. And he now arrested and detained me for over one year and six months now.
'That was after they took my arms and they have refused to pay for the arms worth N137 million," he paused and suddenly faced the Ijaw elders again, saying: 'In 1998, when I proposed armed struggle, you elders refused. See what is happening now."
Immediately after this, the judge entered the courtroom from his inner chambers and Asari was called into the dock.
Director of Public Prosecution, Mr Salihu Aliyu, who announced his appearance for the government said he had two motions slated to come up this morning (yesterday).
He said counsel to Dokubo, Mr Festus Keyamo, had, however, consulted with him to the effect that he would like to file an application and that he would give him the opportunity to address the court on the issue.
Keyamo confirmed that indeed he consulted with the DPP and added that in view of certain happenings, he had discussed with the DPP to seek an adjournment.
'We have both looked at our diaries and we think it will be better if we are allowed to come back next Tuesday.
'In a time honoured tradition at the bar, I spoke with the learned DPP privately as to the place of custody of the accused person and the DPP promised to do something about it before the next adjourned date," he said to which the DPP replied: 'I have no objection to the application for adjournment. And as to the information given with regards to the change of custody, I am not only counsel to the state but also for the accused and I remain a minister in the temple of justice.
'I would do all I can to ensure that the court orders are complied with and that all the rights of the accused persons are met," he said.
Justice Peter Olayiwola who was listening to the counsel to parties granted the application for adjournment and fixed March 13 as return date.
Vanguard gathered after the proceedings yesterday that government had eventually agreed to allow Dokubo go on bail. Both the prosecution and the defence counsel were said to have met to discuss how to get it done.
Impeccable source said they sought for a week adjournment to see if the Supreme Court would admit him to bail without filing a fresh bail application which the government would not oppose.
Immediately after the court rose yesterday, Dokubo stepped out of the dock smiling. He walked to the Director of Public Prosecution and both of them shook hands and hugged each other for the first time in a long time.
Dokubo also exchanged greetings with some senior policemen who granted him his request to have an audience with his people including his lawyer.
Shortly after the meeting, the leader of the Ijaw elders delegation, Mr Douglas spoke with newsmen on the high court premises, saying they came to see that permanent peace return to Niger Delta.
He, however, said 'there is no agreement yet, no political undertone. We are going through due process to ensure that peace reigns. I am the leader of this delegation. Asari is also my cousin. I can tell you for now that there is no deal, no deal."
Asari's counsel, Mr Keyamo also spoke with newsmen on the appearance of the Ijaw leaders in court. He said the peace initiative they were engineering was theirs and exclusive to them and that they were never parties to it including Dokubo.
'With the intervention of the Ijaw leaders, the initiative are supposed to resolve this issue. But the initiatives are not that of Asari Dokubo or mine. We have said that we will not negotiate with Obasanjo.
'He himself has just told me that he will not negotiate with President Obasanjo on his release. There is no deal going on. He has said his release must not be conditional.
'They had wanted him out on conditions but he turned it down. We adjourned today to explore legal option. We will file an application and we let you see it when it is filed.
'More importantly, the Supreme Court will deliver its judgment on his bail application next Thursday. We want to explore that too.
'There is no problem. And as you can see today (yesterday) that Asari himself calmed down. He did not raise abuses at people as usual," he said.