Mr Dokubo, a former militant leader, instead of being arrested and prosecuted for brandishing AK-47 rifles, has been hobnobbing with the country's leaders despite clearly violating the Nigerian law.
Nigerian authorities have failed to arrest Asari Dokubo, a former Niger Delta militant leader, several months after he brandished rifles in a video clip which has now gone viral on social media.
Mr Dokubo has not been arrested and prosecuted despite clearly violating the Nigerian law.
The video clip began trending on 20 June, about four days after the former militant leader met with President Bola Tinubu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
But an investigation by PREMIUM TIMES found that the clip was released by Mr Dokubo in late September 2022, but first went viral days later in October, over eight months ago.
The clip appeared on a YouTube page on 1 October 2022.
The viral clip
In the video clip, Mr Dokubo was heard calling the Igbos "slaves", whom he said he would have continued to "sell" if not for the intervention of the British government.
The former militant leader, who spoke on varied issues, brandished two AK-47 rifles while threatening to kill all Igbos, an ethnic group predominant in Nigeria's South-east.
Mr Dokubo is a Kalabari, a part of the Ijaw ethnic nationality in Rivers State, Nigeria's South-south.
The former militant leader equally mocked the Igbos, saying they were "dying" in large numbers.
"You will do a video to sell that Alhaji has run away? Are you seeing me? I don't run," Mr Dokubo stated, apparently referring to himself, as he brandishes the AK-47 rifle.
"Una head no correct," he spoke in Pidgin English, while picking and brandishing another AK-47 rifle.
"E be like say una dey look for who go finish una? Look for una everywhere (and) finish una. Una dey see me?" he stated in Pidgin English, apparently threatening the Igbos.
When translated into English language, the expression means, "it's like you people (Igbos) are looking for who will kill you all? Someone who will hunt for you everywhere and kill all of you."
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported how the flaunting of the rifles in the video clip highlighted the inequality before Nigerian law.
Laws violated by Dokubo
No person shall have in his possession or under his control any firearm or ammunition except with a license from the president or the inspector-general of police, according to the Nigeria's Firearms Act No 32 of the 1959 CAP F28 LFN 2004.
Offenders face a minimum of 10 years imprisonment on conviction.
Various persons have been arrested and prosecuted for either illegal possession of firearms or making ethnic slurs on social media.
This newspaper earlier reported how the police arrested a pastor of the House on the Rock Refuge Church, Uche Aigbe, in February, and charged him after a video clip of him carrying an AK-47 rifle during a Sunday church service went viral on social media.
The pastor's offence is punishable under Section 111 of the Firearms Act CAP F28, LFN 2004 and contravened Sections 97, 114 and 397 of the Penal Code, according to the police.
Also, the police in Osun State, on 16 June, arrested a social media user who made anti-Igbo tweet.
"Let's kill all the Igbos. Let's flush them out of Yoruba lands. I hate these people with passion. They are violent people. They are the worst. They hate us. Let's hate them without holding back," the police quoted the suspect as posting on his Twitter handle on 18 May.
The police said the twitter post violated "social media policy" on hate speech.
This newspaper reported that what the police may have referred to appeared to be the Cybercrime Act 2015.
Section 26 (1) (a-b) of the Act prohibits persons from distributing or making available, any racist or xenophobic material to the public through a computer system or network; threatening through a computer system or network persons for the reason that they belong to a group distinguished by race, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin, as well as, religion.
The Act in paragraph (c) of the section also prohibits group of persons from insulting publicly through a computer system or network persons for the reason that they belong to a group distinguished by race, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin, as well as religion.
Offenders, on conviction, face imprisonment for a term of not more than five years or to a fine of not more than N10,000,000 or both.
Mr Dokubo, in the viral clip, violated both the Cybercrime Act 2015 and Nigeria's Firearms Act. But he is yet to be arrested or summoned by the Nigerian Police.
Double standard?
Despite the failure to arrest Mr Dokubo for flaunting rifles and threatening the Igbo race, the Nigerian government has charged the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
A copy of the charges shared on the Channels TV's website showed the case was filed on 13 July the same day a judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja gave the State Security Service (SSS) one-week ultimatum to either charge Mr Emefiele to court or release him.
The SSS had arrested Mr Emefiele at his home in Lagos on 10 June and immediately flew him to Abuja to face interrogation. The arrest occurred barely 24 hours after the CBN governor was suspended by President Tinubu.
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In the newly filed case, the secret police accused Mr Emefiele of possessing a single-barrel shotgun (JOJEFF MAGNUM 8371) without a licence, an offence said to be contrary to Section four of the Firearms Act, and punishable under Section 27 (1b) of the same Act.
In the second count, the SSS charged him with illegally possessing 23 rounds of live ammunition (cartridges) without a licence. The offence is also said to be contrary to Section 8 of the Firearms Act and punishable under Section 27 (1)(b)(i) of the same Act.
Police, SSS silent
When contacted on 1 July, the police spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, told PREMIUM TIMES that he would find out why the former militant leader was yet to be arrested or prosecuted like others who committed similar offences.
Mr Adejobi, a chief superintendent of police, promised to revert to this newspaper with answers. But he failed to do so several days later.
On 19 July, nearly three weeks after, our reporter contacted Mr Adejobi again, but the police spokesperson did not respond to calls and a text message.
Also, the spokesperson of the SSS, Peter Afunanya, did not respond to calls and a text message seeking his comments.
