Asari Dokubo arraigned on spurious treason charge by OBJ
Asari Dokubo arraigned on spurious treason charge by OBJ.
Nigerian Niger Delta leader Mujahid Dokubo Asari was today charged with treason, by the Obasanjo government, for which he could face the death penalty. Mr Asari denied that charge, and several others including unlawful assembly and conspiracy, in an Abuja court. Hundreds of armed police blocked roads surrounding the Abuja court.
He shouted "Freedom to my people!" before being led from the courtroom.
He was extrajudicially detained two weeks ago, under circumstances that brought back fearful memories of the late Ken Saro-Wiwa's arrest, detention, and extrajudicial murder by the late Abacha-led Nigerian state, which same junta then also extrajudicially condemned now-President Obasanjo to death on trumped-up charges because Obasanjo did not support the Abacha dictatorship...analysts wonder at the close similarities of those mad deeds of Abacha to these recent ones by the putative democratic government headed by former military dictator (now-President) OLUSEGUN OBASANJO! Dokubo's arrest had sparked protests in the oil-producing Niger Delta region in southern Nigeria, before well-meaning stakeholders in a positive Nigerian future appealed to the militant and very restive youths of the Niger Delta to stand down all their planned actions of reprisal against both the government and all multinationals in the region, especially in the oil and gas industry.
Mr Asari says he is fighting for the self-determination of the Niger Delta and Ijaw peoples, and for greater local control of the profits from the oil and gas industries, which provide over 95% of this African country's income...which said income is known to fuel crisis since most of these monies go into the pockets of a select cabal of corrupt and feudalistic leaders, even in this Obasanjo-led government which is rated as the second most corrupt in the world today by Transparency International, notwithstanding the fact OBJ has refused to let go the strings of the treasury from oil receipts which he solely controls as the plenipotentiary oil and gas minister!
If convicted by the court for treason, which charges many observers see as unnecassarily extreme, if not spurious, Mr Asari could be sentenced to death or face life imprisonment. It is not clear how already-volatile youths of the Niger Delta, especially members of his highly-incensed Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF) will react to these charges that carry such steep penalties.
After his detention two weeks ago, Mr Asari's supporters threatened oil production in the Niger Delta if he was not released and at one point US oil company Chevron was forced to shut down one of its facilities in the area. The NDPVF also told expatriate oil workers to leave the area, but later withdrew the threat.
It must be remembered that the Niger Delta, which includes the late Ken Saro-Wiwa's impoverished Ogoni-land, remains Nigeria's poorest and least developed region, although it accounts for most of the 2.4 million barrels of oil produced by Nigeria, Africa's largest oil-producer, each year. Last year, the NDPVF contributed to a sharp rise in world oil prices when it threatened war against oil companies.
Mr Asari will be held in custody until his next appearance in court on 10 November.
In the meantime, POSITIVE PARTNERS, through its Council Chairman, President, and Executive Secretary, Ambassador Segun Olusola, Commodore (Dr.) M. A. Buhari (rtd.), and Mr. Tony I. Uranta, respectively, has called on all Nigerians (especially the youths of the Niger Delta and other aggrieved/affected regions) to exercise the utmost caution and restraint, so as not play into the hands of anti-progressive forces (both within and outside government!) who appear to be trying to stir up unrest in Nigeria for far-reaching, albeit extremely megalomaniac and shortsighted, personal reasons and ambitions that may not be totally unconnected with the increasingly-shaky 2007 change-of-government date!
Nigeria is greater than ANY ONE MAN...and only the people hold the right to their future...which is the more reason why the PRONACO-driven PEOPLES' NATIONAL CONFERENCE, which Dokubo strongly fought for, must be made to achieve its logical objective of creating a constitution (or otherwise) that will reflect the sovereignty of all Nigerian peoples...and of the people alone! Anything less, threatens to spell doom for this nation, with all the concommitant consequences to Africa, Europe, and the United Nations structure s as we know them today!!
Shalom!!!
Nigerian Niger Delta leader Mujahid Dokubo Asari was today charged with treason, by the Obasanjo government, for which he could face the death penalty. Mr Asari denied that charge, and several others including unlawful assembly and conspiracy, in an Abuja court. Hundreds of armed police blocked roads surrounding the Abuja court.
He shouted "Freedom to my people!" before being led from the courtroom.
He was extrajudicially detained two weeks ago, under circumstances that brought back fearful memories of the late Ken Saro-Wiwa's arrest, detention, and extrajudicial murder by the late Abacha-led Nigerian state, which same junta then also extrajudicially condemned now-President Obasanjo to death on trumped-up charges because Obasanjo did not support the Abacha dictatorship...analysts wonder at the close similarities of those mad deeds of Abacha to these recent ones by the putative democratic government headed by former military dictator (now-President) OLUSEGUN OBASANJO! Dokubo's arrest had sparked protests in the oil-producing Niger Delta region in southern Nigeria, before well-meaning stakeholders in a positive Nigerian future appealed to the militant and very restive youths of the Niger Delta to stand down all their planned actions of reprisal against both the government and all multinationals in the region, especially in the oil and gas industry.
Mr Asari says he is fighting for the self-determination of the Niger Delta and Ijaw peoples, and for greater local control of the profits from the oil and gas industries, which provide over 95% of this African country's income...which said income is known to fuel crisis since most of these monies go into the pockets of a select cabal of corrupt and feudalistic leaders, even in this Obasanjo-led government which is rated as the second most corrupt in the world today by Transparency International, notwithstanding the fact OBJ has refused to let go the strings of the treasury from oil receipts which he solely controls as the plenipotentiary oil and gas minister!
If convicted by the court for treason, which charges many observers see as unnecassarily extreme, if not spurious, Mr Asari could be sentenced to death or face life imprisonment. It is not clear how already-volatile youths of the Niger Delta, especially members of his highly-incensed Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF) will react to these charges that carry such steep penalties.
After his detention two weeks ago, Mr Asari's supporters threatened oil production in the Niger Delta if he was not released and at one point US oil company Chevron was forced to shut down one of its facilities in the area. The NDPVF also told expatriate oil workers to leave the area, but later withdrew the threat.
It must be remembered that the Niger Delta, which includes the late Ken Saro-Wiwa's impoverished Ogoni-land, remains Nigeria's poorest and least developed region, although it accounts for most of the 2.4 million barrels of oil produced by Nigeria, Africa's largest oil-producer, each year. Last year, the NDPVF contributed to a sharp rise in world oil prices when it threatened war against oil companies.
Mr Asari will be held in custody until his next appearance in court on 10 November.
In the meantime, POSITIVE PARTNERS, through its Council Chairman, President, and Executive Secretary, Ambassador Segun Olusola, Commodore (Dr.) M. A. Buhari (rtd.), and Mr. Tony I. Uranta, respectively, has called on all Nigerians (especially the youths of the Niger Delta and other aggrieved/affected regions) to exercise the utmost caution and restraint, so as not play into the hands of anti-progressive forces (both within and outside government!) who appear to be trying to stir up unrest in Nigeria for far-reaching, albeit extremely megalomaniac and shortsighted, personal reasons and ambitions that may not be totally unconnected with the increasingly-shaky 2007 change-of-government date!
Nigeria is greater than ANY ONE MAN...and only the people hold the right to their future...which is the more reason why the PRONACO-driven PEOPLES' NATIONAL CONFERENCE, which Dokubo strongly fought for, must be made to achieve its logical objective of creating a constitution (or otherwise) that will reflect the sovereignty of all Nigerian peoples...and of the people alone! Anything less, threatens to spell doom for this nation, with all the concommitant consequences to Africa, Europe, and the United Nations structure s as we know them today!!
Shalom!!!
posted by TIUranta at 11:00 AM
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