Tinubu bars ex-Niger Delta agitators from Aso Villa

There are strong indications that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has barred any former Niger Delta insurgent commander from visiting him at the presidential mansion in Abuja.

Based on this directive, it was learnt that the presidency recently rejected requests for courtesy visits by key militant leaders and ethnic militias from the oil-rich region to Tinubu in the villa.

The decision was reportedly taken in the aftermath of the visit to Tinubu by the leader of the defunct Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujarhedeen Asari-Dokubo, on June 16 this year.

Asari-Dokubo, a staunch supporter of Tinubu, backed and supported the President in the run-up to the 2023 presidential election.

A report on Tuesday by Leadership stated that Tinubu, in ordering the action, was disturbed by public utterances and actions of Asari-Dokubo after his visit to the villa.

It was learnt that Tinubu was bothered that all “verbal vituperations and militant activities” of Asari-Dokubo in the Niger Delta were subsequently linked to him after the June audience with the notable activist.

As he stepped out of the Villa, Asari-Dokubo, in a chat with the State House reporters, took on the Armed Forces, accusing its personnel of being neck-deep in economic sabotage, especially crude oil theft and vandalism of oil equipment in the region.

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The allegation, it was learnt, embarrassed and shocked Tinubu, especially because he made the shocking revelation moments after departing his office.

Leadership reported sources in the presidency as saying that Dokubo’s outbursts against the military within the vicinity of the villa gave the inkling that the President shared the same views with the ex-militant commander.

It was gathered that the presidency was ruffled by the attacks on the President by notable Nigerians over the utterances and actions of Asari-Dokubo, especially his effrontery in the reckless public assemblage of gun-wielding youths in his enclave in Rivers State.

The gun-bearing renegades often appeared in viral videos with Asari-Dokubo, assuming commanding roles.

Asari-Dokubo also took on the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, threatening to deal with the chief executive of the state.

The presidency was said to have been irked that his association with the President had continued to give a wrong signal to the public that he enjoyed the support and backing of the nation’s number one citizen.

To this end, one of our sources in the presidency said all individuals known to be linked with the Niger Delta ethnic crisis and oil industry unrest in the region, requesting courtesy visits and audience with the President after the Asari-Dokubo’s experience, had their applications declined.

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A notable militant from the region, who made a request for an audience with the President last week, was said to have lamented that his application was declined by the nation’s seat of power.

He said top officials of the presidency pointedly informed him that the President was not disposed to meeting with members of his group.

But Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, said he was not aware of the President’s directive on the matter.