Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), on Thursday, petitioned world leaders over the failure of the Nigerian Government to arrest controversial erstwhile Niger Delta militant leader and former agitator, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo despite glaring evidence that he is a threat to the Nigerian state and the Nigerian people.
HURIWA, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, warned that the President Bola Tinubu government is creating a monster out of Asari-Dokubo who dared the military to arrest him and he would crumble Nigeria’s oil production to zero
The petition was addressed specifically to the European Union, the President of the United States of America, the French President, the British Prime Minister, the German Chancellor and other world leaders.
HURIWA called for their urgent high level intervention in getting President Tinubu to immediately order the arrest of one Asari-Dokubo for his dangerous hate speech and threat to the Igbo ethnic tribe of Nigeria.
The group said it is concerning that the administration of President Bola Tinubu seems to be afraid of Asari-Dokubo despite that the ex-agitator is threatening to destroy the country if arrested for unlawful possession of assault rifles and threat to the lives and property of Igbo people in the country.
HURIWA had previously issued a 72-hour ultimatum for the Federal Government to arrest Asari-Dokubo over his suspected link to the violent phenomenon of ‘unknown gunmen’ in the South-East or risk unprecedented protests that would reverberate all over the country.
Asari-Dokubo, who visited Tinubu last month, had in a viral video brandished multiple AK-47 rifles and threatened to kill Igbos because they supported Labour Party’s Peter Obi in the February 25, 2023 presidential poll against the ex-militant’s preferred candidate in the person of Tinubu, the then candidate of the All Progressives Congress.
HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “The petition has become imperative because despite calls from several quarters, particularly non-governmental organizations and prominent civil rights activists, Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pointedly ignored these calls.
“President Tinubu’s nonchalance in this regard is believed to be as a result of his closeness to Mr. Asari Dokubo, who he intends to continue to use to nefariously, foment insecurity and unrest in the South East region of Nigeria.
“President Tinubu must stop treating threats and individuals that constitute grave threats to national security with kid gloves. The failure of all the security forces to take in Asari Dokubo who reportedly displayed military grade weapons and threaten Igbos is a serious dereliction of duty.
“HURIWA most passionately appeal to the European Union and the other copied world leaders, to urgently bring pressure to bear on Nigeria’s President to order immediate arrest, investigation and prosecution of Asari-Dokubo. This is the only way to bring about peace and tranquility in the South East and Nigeria as a whole.”
Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko
National Coordinator
Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)
