The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has issued a strong warning to former militant leader, Asari Dokubo, advising him to be cautious with his statements or be prepared to face the battlefield and experience the might of the Nigerian military firsthand.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja during the bi-weekly media briefing organized by the Defence Headquarters, Major General Edward Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operations, challenged Dokubo to enter the battlefield if he believed he could match the military’s strength.
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General Buba vowed that Dokubo would be neutralized if necessary and called on relevant security agencies to take up the matter.
This warning follows a viral video in which Dokubo claimed that two helicopters had been flying over his residence for several minutes, which he interpreted as a provocation by the government, the police, and supporters of the former Rivers State Governor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. He further warned that if the helicopters were shot down, the responsibility should not be placed on him.
“I didn’t go and look for the helicopter to shoot them down. I will shoot down the helicopter. I swear by Allah that I will shoot down the helicopter,” he said.
General Buba however said “Our enemy is the terrorists. While some may choose to label them differently depending on the region, in the northwest and northeast, some refer to them as bandits.
“I tell you, they are all terrorists. We must label them for what they are. Troops are making significant progress; as I mentioned, we prioritise targeting terrorist leadership, and we have successfully eliminated over 300 terrorist commanders in the last three quarters, not to mention their foot soldiers.
“Our aim is to diminish their fighting capabilities and to damage their military potential, which we have been achieving. As indicated in the brief you have just received, you can see the number of weapons and ammunition we have recovered.”