Australian Negotiator Is Obasanjo’s Friend – Asari Dokubo Says

 

Outspoken former militant, Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo has bared his mind on the allegations made by Australian crisis negotiator, Stephen Davis as regards the workings of Boko Haram.

Davis earlier stated that the terrorist sect is being financed by Nigerian politicians and he named former Chief of Army Staff, Azubuike Ihejirika and former Borno Governor, Ali Modu Sherriff as 2 of such sponsors.

According to The Sun however, Asari Dokubo said during an interview in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state that Davis is a friend to former President, Olusegun Obasanjo and is only acting on the latter’s script.

Excerpts below:..

What is your view on the continued insurgency in the North?

My position is widely known by everybody. My position is that this is a military exercise and a war rehearsal. The main war is not to capture Bama, Gwoza or Mubi, it is to capture Niger Delta oil communities, it is to capture Yenagoa, Bonny, Kalabari, Nembe , Escravos, Okrika.

People are being deceived like a lot of people in Abuja that the war would end in the North. We cannot wait for the military and Police to protect us. We should resort to self-help, we should start preparing.

What is your take on the revelation by the Australian negotiator, Stephen Davis on those sponsoring Boko Haram?

I know Stephen Davis very well. I know him to his family. I think he is economical with the truth. As somebody I know I was disappointed. I was the first person Stephen Davis negotiated with. I am totally disappointed in the politics he is playing.

He negotiated with you how?

He negotiated with me when I was in the creek on behalf of the European Embassies in Nigeria. He negotiated with me to cease fire and come out to meet with the then President Olusegun Oba­sanjo. He negotiated with me without paying any­thing. We only agreed because we thought Oba­sanjo would be sincere but it did not happen.

How can he say opposition is sponsoring Boko Haram and then the first name he would mention is Azubuike Ihejirika. When did Ihejirika start to sponsor Boko Haram, was it when it was formed in 2002 when he was never Chief of Army Staff of when their leader Mohammed Yusuf was extra-judicially murdered in 2009 or when did he start sponsoring if not that someone is playing politics.

When you bring pepper soup joint talk to na­tional issues, it is sad. He has diminished himself as an International negotiator. I hold him in very high regard but I am disappointed.

He said former governor Ali Modu Sheriff is sponsoring Boko Haram and I ask when? What it when they accused him of allegedly murdering Yusuf’s father-in law who was his former Com­missioner. Lest we forget one of the demands of Boko Haram in 2009 was that Sheriff should be put on trial, so when did he start the sponsorship.

Now all of a sudden, Sherrif who was a chief­tain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) was not a sponsor of Boko Haram until he defected to the PDP.

Now APC are not shouting. So when they are hobnobbing with him he was not a Boko Haram sponsor until now. APC is evil and they are hiding the truth from people. As far as I am concern, my friend Stephen Davis has totally reduced himself. All his comments are pepper soup joint talk. He did not name other members of the opposition but mentioned Ihejirika.

The same Ihejirika, El Rufai and others said should be taken to International Court for War Crimes, now he said he is a sponsor of Boko Haram.

Davis is Obasanjo’s friend. Obasanjo brought him to Nigeria and he is playing Obasanjo‘s script. He is playing Obasanjo’s agenda. Whoever intro­duced him to the government should have done a background check on him.

But the Federal Government has denied engaging him

Yes they did but when it was belated. Just like I just read that the Bring Back Goodluck Jonathan signpost should be removed. Why is the government pretending that some girls are missing No girls are missing. They should not play politics with this thing. Nobody is missing. It is a scam.