We Have No Partnership With Asari-Dokubo, Says Nigerian Army

The Nigerian Army has said it has no partnership with ex-Niger Delta mili­tant leader, Mujahid Asari-Do­kubo, or his security outfit.

The ex-militant leader had in an interview on a Podcast anchored by Channels Tele­vision’s Seun Okinbaloye claimed he had a military company engaged by the gov­ernment to work alongside the military in some states of the federation.

Asari-Dokubo had said, “I don’t have an army but I have a private military com­pany that was engaged by the Nigerian government and I have been doing the work for the Nigerian state. Private military companies exist all over the world; we have Black Waters, we have Wagner; we have so many private mili­tary companies.

So, I have a private mili­tary company that is engaged by the government and we are fighting side by side with the Nigerian military in many places. Like Niger, Plateau, Abia, Imo, and parts of Rivers State. We were in Anambra too. We are doing a good job and we are being commended by the host communities.”

However, the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, has denied this claim, saying, the Army had never conduct­ed an operation in any part of the country in collaboration with Asari-Dokubo’s men.

He said, “Going by that interview, Dokubo claims he owns a private military company that was engaged by the government of Nige­ria. The veracity of his claim can only be ascertained by the relevant agency, statuto­rily mandated to license such outfits.

However, it must be clarified that the Nigerian Army is not in any form of partnership or collaborative pact with the ex-militant or whatever private security outfit he claims to own.

“It is also expedient to place on record that contrary to his claims, the Nigerian Army has never conducted any op­eration jointly or side by side with Asari or the organisa­tion he represents, in any of those areas he mentioned or in any theatre of operations.”

Source: www.independent.ng