A Benin socio-cultural organization has issued a stern rebuke against Niger Delta militant leader Asari Dokubo, following his recent provocative threats to “invade” Benin City amid ongoing communal tensions. The group characterized Dokubo’s rhetoric as a reckless provocation that threatens the peace and stability of the region, explicitly rejecting his intimidation tactics while reaffirming their long-standing historical assertion that the Ijaw people living within Benin territories are settlers, not indigenous landowners. Tensions have simmered for weeks as leadership debates regarding land rights and traditional hegemony intensified, with the Benin group emphasizing that their historical records and ancestral traditions clearly define the boundaries and demographics of the kingdom. They further cautioned that any attempt to translate these verbal threats into physical action would be met with resolute defensive measures and urged federal security agencies to urgently intervene to prevent an escalation into inter-ethnic violence. The statement underscores a significant deterioration in relations between the two groups, fueled by a complex mix of historical revisionism, resource competition, and inflammatory political discourse that has increasingly moved from private negotiations to volatile public confrontation.
