Olu of Warri dares Asari Dokubo to prove ₦2.7trn pipeline contract claim

The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has challenged Niger Delta activist Asari Dokubo to produce evidence for his allegation that the monarch and others receive N2.7 trillion annually from pipeline surveillance contracts.

The challenge was contained in a Tuesday statement by the monarch’s Sole Representative to NNCLimited/JV Partners, Prince Collins Oritsetjmeyin Edema, Daily Post reported.

Dokubo had questioned the award of pipeline surveillance contracts to some individuals and companies, accusing the Olu of Warri and others of receiving the amount yearly.

Edema said Dokubo’s intervention could not be separated from his public image, which he described as deeply associated with militancy and confrontation.

He stressed that pipeline surveillance contracts are not ordinary commercial arrangements, as Nigeria’s oil and gas infrastructure is a critical national asset tied to crude production, government revenue and foreign exchange earnings.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the allegation that the Olu of Warri receives N2.7 trillion annually from pipeline surveillance contracts is categorically rejected

“We challenge Mr Dokubo to produce the documentary evidence upon which this extraordinary claim is based,” the statement said.

Edema also warned that it would be unfortunate if old habits of militancy and unguarded speech reopened ethnic anxieties in the Niger Delta.