Outspoken Niger-Delta ex-militant, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo Asari has been arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic by the country’s gendarmes on allegations of gunrunning.
He was arrested on Tuesday and taken to his house in Cotonou, which was seriously searched. He was thereafter taken away to an unknown area of the country, according to his lawyer, Festus Keyamo.
Huhuonline.com learnt that he was arrested around the Lubeleyi Roundabout and has not been reached since then.
“Today, Tuesday, November 26, 2013, my friend and client, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, was arrested in Cotonou, Benin Republic, around the hours of 1:00pm and 2:00pm by the country’s gendarmes (Police Force)”.
“We want to emphasise that Alhaji Dokubo-Asari carries on legitimate business and has been living partly in Benin Republic for many years now. In fact, he owns houses, schools and an academy in that country. All these places have been searched as at this evening and nothing incriminating was found.
“We think his arrest and detention is a ploy by certain forces in Nigeria in unholy alliance with the Beninoise Government to keep him away as 2015 approaches”, Keyamo said urging the Nigerian government to immediately intervene and ensure that no harm befalls him.
According to him, the Federal Government must use all diplomatic means to secure his immediate release and safe return to Nigeria, saying he would also liaise with lawyers in Benin to enforce his fundamental rights.
