Ex-Niger Delta militant, Dokubo Asari, has blamed northern elites for the wave of violence occasioned by Boko Haram’s terrorist activities and ‘backwardness’ of the region.
In an exclusive interview with Rariya Newspaper, Mujahid Dokubo-Asari said northerners should pray for forgiveness because the wrath of God is on them.
“For how many years the ruling oligarchy of the north has been encouraging oppression? The people of the north are poor, they did not benefit from the years of criminal, immoral ravaging of the lands of Ogonis, Ijaws, Urhobos, Itsekiris and others. The people are watching. They are going to Dubai, London and everywhere to buy house. They are sending their children abroad. They forgot God. They forgot that there are so many children roaming the street. All these things, one day a Daniel will come to judgement. And that is it, it has come to judgement, and the people are confronting them,” he said.
“What is happening in the north is the north creates a monster, and the monster is consuming them. God is angry with the north. Let them cry to Allah for forgiveness.”
Asari also said it would be difficult for a Northerner to win the 2015 presidential election as the fear of Boko Haram will prevent people in the region from coming out to vote on election day.
Mr. Asari, who claimed to have spent time in prison with some leaders of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, said the only way out of the deadlock is through dialogue.
“From the very beginning I was one of those people who asked the government to dialogue with them. I was in prison with some of them. I was with Mohammed Ashafa at Kuje prison; I was in SSS underground prison with Mohammed Isa, Hussain and Yusuf, Murtada and others. Late Mohammed Yusuf left SSS underground prison few days before I was put in there. Dialogue is the only solution. As far as I’m concerned, both government and Boko Haram cannot win this war. The bloodshed should be stopped. It will not remove anything from the part of government of President Jonathan to dialogue with this people,” he said.
