For about a decade, their voices were heard from the rooftop. This report examine the opulent lives of ex-agitators and their new roles
Though they go by different names -activists, agitators, militants and what have you – they had a common denominator in agitation, irrespective of what part of the country they came from.
They claimed their agitations were informed by the injustices and deprivations meted out to their people. These injustices ranged from pollution of their communities, farm lands, rivers and all forms of degradations as a result of oil exploration activities in their areas without commensurate level of development.
Others agitated for good governance and since the advent of civil rule in 1999, the Federal Government had to contend with the various agitators who go by different names and leaders. The agitation threw up a lot of names who made fame and fortunes.
Then militancy was a big business as oil pipelines were blown off, expatriates were kidnapped for ransom, until the Federal Government granted them amnesty through its amnesty programme. Consequently, these militants dropped their arms and were reintegrated into the society.
Over 30,000 of them were registered at the post amnesty programme, where almost all of them were trained and reintegrated into the society.
Of course most of them have seen the other side of life contrary to their life at the creeks which was devoid of any form of civilisation. Haven embraced amnesty with both hands and dropped their arms, many of them went back to school, some today are monarchs while others hold political positions besides a few others who have delved into business.
Mujahid Asari-Dokubo
At the peak of the Niger Delta struggle, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, the renowned ex-militant leader controlled the Niger Delta Volunteers Force (NDVF), which clashed severally with the military.
But before then, he had served as the president of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) in 2001. During the implementation of the amnesty programme the Federal Government granted repentant militants,
Asari was the only militant leader that rejected the programme, arguing that he didn’t commit any offence for which he should be pardoned. Since then, he has enjoyed massive patronage, especially during the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Then, he was reportedly contacted by the Federal Government for arms purchase for the prosecution of the war against Boko Haram. Sometime in 2013, it was reported that Asari-Dokubo had soccer institutions in Abuja and in Benin Republic to provide free training to youths. He also had a private university in Benin.
In an interview, Asari-Dokubo said he decided to establish the institutions in Benin Republic because he does not only live there, but has adopted it as his country.
However, during the last general elections in Rivers State in 2019, soldiers raided his compound in Buguma in Asari Toru Local Government Area. These days, Asari occasionally airs his views on issues via video recordings that uploaded in the social media.
Lately, Asari-Dokubo has been criticising Nnamdi Kanu, the rearrested leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) of fleecing the people. He vowed to bring Kanu down, stating pointedly: “Nnamdi Kanu, I’m not in your category but for this, I will surely bring you down.
I will destroy this evil empire that is working as a hindrance to the restoration of Biafra. Biafra is your business now; you have no other avenue for gainful income. It is a pity how Igbo people have fallen for this evil, but your time is up. I am out for you.
And I will get you.” Asari-Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Salvation Force (NDPSF), accused Kanu of turning the Biafran struggle into a business.
He tackled Kanu over a N20m gift. In a new video, he accused Kanu of diverting funds meant for the Biafran struggle. Both activists have been at loggerheads over the quest for Biafra – the very cause that unites them.
The cold war between them resulted in the formation of the Biafra Customary Government (BCG) which Dokubo announced in March, with himself as the head. In the video, he accused Kanu of failing to account for some funds donated for the quest for Biafra, adding: “They are now telling U.S. India, Russia etc. This is how they audit accounts.
This is what Biafra will look like under the criminal Nnamdi Kanu. “They claim that they brought money to Cotonou to give to me -N20 million. We are waiting for them to bring the evidence.
They came to Cotonou to meet with me and I hosted them. They did not bring a dime. Biafra is your business now; you have no other avenue for gainful income. It is a pity how Igbo people have fallen for this evil, but your time is up.”
