In its reaction, Nigerian Navy stated that Dokubo’s allegations were the same he had dished out over the years.
It also challenged the ex-militant leader to intimate Nigerians on his level of involvement in oil theft, accusing him of seeking his own pipeline protection contract.
Spokesman of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, said Dokubo had stayed on the same unfounded allegations over the years.
“This is the same song he has been singing for years. It’s not a new narrative from him. He should name names and also intimate Nigerians of his level of involvement.
“He is also looking for his own pipeline protection contract”, he said.
He said going by the efforts of the military in curbing oil theft in the region, Nigeria regained top spot amongst oil producing countries in Africa.
“OPEC, NUPRC and others confirmed just yesterday an increase in oil production in the month of May, only yesterday,” he said.
He said the allegation against the military was “spurious and unguarded.”
Ayo-Vaughan said oil thieves were angry because the land, maritime and air component of the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe as well as other operations in the South-south zone of the country sustained the efforts to deny oil thieves avenues to sabotage economy through ongoing “Operation Dakartada Barawo” and sustained a relatively safe and peaceful environment for business activities to strife in the region.
“If Asari Dokubo is seeking some form of relevance and he alleges that there are cabals of military personnel who are involved in crude oil theft, let him bring the names. Nobody is afraid of getting the names of those involved in crude oil theft. You cannot make such serious allegations and think that we just sweep it down the carpet, there will be an official response from Defence Headquarters on this matter. The Chief of Defence Staff does not condone that, nor those the Chief of Naval Staff under whom I serve.
