Dokubo: I’ll End Hostage Taking in Niger Delta
From Ahamefula Ogbu in Port Harcourt, 06.17.2007
Recently released leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NPVF), Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo yesterday arrived Air Force Base, Port Harcourt with a promise to do everything in his powers to end kidnapping and hostage taking in the region.
Also yesterday, seven Indian expartriate workers of an oil service company, Indorama who were seized by militants on June 1 were released.
He said kidnapping was not part of the struggle for the development of the oil producing areas but mere criminal act.
On the issue of hostage taking in the Niger Delta, he said: "We will try and work to stop this act of criminality and banditry. We are not going to be something that we are not; we are fighting injustice, we should not do injustice to other people. We are fighting for justice so we can't be seen to be doing injustice to other people."
Asari-Dokubo said a genuine solution to the Niger Delta crisis can only be achieved through the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference where the modalities for the co-existence of the component parts of the country would be decided. When reminded that the conditions attached to his bail did not allow him to address gatherings especially on political and other sensitive issues, he said: “I do not know of any such conditions to my freedom.”
Dokubo who arrived the airport at about 11.12 pm aboard a chartered flight was accompanied by the Action Congress Gubernatorial candidate in the State, Prince Tonye Princewill. He waved enthusiastically to thousands of his supporters who chanted his praises in Ijaw language and waved white flags to welcome him.
“I'm so elated and humbled by the people I'm seeing here. And I thank the people of the Niger Delta and all the oppressed masses who have suffered for a very long time, who have taken their time to be here to welcome me. I am so humbled and elated by this singular act of support. Though they said a prophet is not recognized in his home, but I am elated by the support from my people", he said.
He later moved to the house of Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas from where he moved to his Buguma home for another reception party. He was accompanied from the airport to almost everywhere he went by a long convoy of commercial motorcy riders thereby causing a big traffic jam in the city.
The arrival of Dokubo coincided with the release of the seven Indians working for Indorama who were taken away by militants from the Indian quarters in Eleme on June 1.
Receiving the freed Indians at the Government House, Governor of Rivers State, Sir Celestine Omehia appealed to the petrochemical company to reopen the plant since all its seized members of staff have been released.
Those freed are the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Arun Heuctane, Anil Fortedar, Vijay Kumar, Richard Patal, Changrasekar Shama, A.K. Sawant, Mrs. D. Bang, Mrs. Swetharharan, Shamdazi and Samyak.
Heuctane who narrated the experiences of the released hostages said they were kept in a room with two matteresses.
