The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has explained why it has not taken military action against former Niger Delta militant leader, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, despite his controversial remarks, including a threat to shoot down a military helicopter. According to the DHQ, the decision stems from a desire to avoid accusations of undemocratic behavior.
Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, addressed the issue during a press briefing in Abuja. He commented on the recent report that claimed Asari-Dokubo had threatened to target a military helicopter that was flying near his residence. Buba, dismissing the threat, said it was not something the military would respond to hastily.
He emphasized that the military must operate within the bounds of democracy and professionalism, stating that taking immediate action based on such comments could lead to the military being criticized.
Buba said, “Now, the comment by an individual that he can shoot down military helicopters is laughable. And I am about to laugh at that. We are in a democracy, and we are professionals. Of course, we cannot just, based on somebody’s comments, begin to take certain actions. They would accuse the military of being undemocratic.
“The military is not the only security force or department in the country. There are other security agencies that have a constitutional role to play in handling such issues.
“I tell you that he doesn’t have that capability, but I will allow the security forces responsible for such matters to take it up. As for us, come to the battlefield, and we’ll take you out. He should come to the battlefield and see whether we can react or not.”
He said, “For us, the enemy we fight are the terrorists. Some may choose to call them different names in the different theatres of operations where they exist. In the North-West and North-East, some will say terrorists; some may prefer to call them bandits.
“I tell you, they are all terrorists, and that is what we see. Troops are making significant progress. As I mentioned earlier, we prioritise eliminating terrorist leadership, and we have been doing just that. In the last three quarters, we have taken out over 300 terrorist commanders, not to mention their foot soldiers.
“Our aim is to diminish their fighting capabilities and damage their military capabilities, which we have been successfully doing. As indicated in the brief you received, you can see how many weapons and ammunition we have recovered.”
