Olu of Warri Rejects ₦2.7trn Pipeline Claim, Challenges Asari Dokubo to Produce Evidence

The Sole Representative of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, to NNPC Limited and its Joint Venture Partners, Prince Collins Oritsetimeyin Edema, has rejected a claim attributed to ex-militant and Niger Delta activist Asari Dokubo that the monarch receives ₦2.7 trillion annually from pipeline surveillance contracts.

Prince Edema, in a statement issued on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, described the allegation as extraordinary and potentially damaging to the reputation of the Olu of Warri, while stressing the strategic importance of pipeline surveillance to Nigeria’s economy and national security.

The statement said the allegation had prompted the Olu of Warri’s representative to respond publicly because of its potential implications for both the monarch’s reputation and the wider debate surrounding pipeline surveillance in the Niger Delta.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the allegation that the Olu of Warri receives 2.7 trillion annually from pipeline surveillance contracts is categorically rejected,” Edema stated.

He subsequently challenged Dokubo to substantiate the allegation with documentary evidence.

“We challenge Mr. Dokubo to produce the documentary evidence upon which this extraordinary claim is based,” the statement said.

Prince Collins Oritsetimeyin Edema said the controversy should be considered beyond the personalities involved because pipeline surveillance is directly connected to the security of Nigeria’s oil infrastructure.

He noted that the country’s pipelines constitute critical national assets, with their security having implications for crude oil production, government revenue, foreign exchange earnings and the wider economy.

“Pipeline surveillance contracts in Nigeria are not ordinary commercial arrangements,” he said, arguing that pipeline surveillance “sits at the intersection of commercial interest, energy security and national security.”

According to him, this makes questions concerning the award, execution and beneficiaries of such contracts legitimate matters of public interest.

He said concerns about pipeline-security arrangements should therefore be subjected to proper scrutiny through documentary and institutional channels.

“If there are concerns about a pipeline-security arrangement, the relevant contracts, procurement processes, corporate records, government approvals, performance reports and regulatory documents should be examined,” Prince Edema stated.

He added that where wrongdoing is alleged, the appropriate institutions should investigate and establish the facts.

“And if no wrongdoing is established, politically charged allegations should not be allowed to substitute for evidence,” he said.

The Olu of Warri’s representative also addressed Dokubo’s history as a prominent Niger Delta militant and political figure.

While describing Dokubo’s public profile as one associated with militancy and confrontation, Edema cautioned against using that history alone to determine the credibility of his latest claim.

“The temptation should not be to dismiss everything Dokubo says simply because of his militant past. That would be intellectually lazy,” he said.

He added: “Equally, neither should his reputation as a fierce Niger Delta voice confer automatic credibility on his allegations. His claims must stand or fall on the quality of the evidence supporting them.”

Prince Edema said public figures making claims involving the Olu of Warri, Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL), High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, or other stakeholders should exercise caution because such statements could have wider consequences.

He warned that unsubstantiated assertions in a politically and ethnically sensitive environment could “reinforce suspicions, revive old grievances and provide ammunition for people who would rather interpret every disagreement through an ethnic lens.”

The statement also touched on the longstanding relationships among Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo communities in the Warri area.

The Sole Representative of the Olu of Warri said the region requires responsible leadership and restraint, particularly at a time when stakeholders are working to preserve peace and prevent historical disagreements from degenerating into renewed conflict.

“The Warri question involves communities with long and complicated histories of grievance and competition,” he said.

“Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo relations require responsible leadership, not rhetoric that can easily be interpreted as provocation.”

He further warned against allowing inflammatory rhetoric to reopen ethnic tensions in the Niger Delta.

“The Niger Delta has paid a heavy price for politics conducted through confrontation and inflammatory rhetoric,” Prince Edema stated.

He said it would be unfortunate if “old habits of militancy and unguarded speech” were allowed to revive ethnic anxieties that responsible stakeholders were working to overcome.

Prince Edema said the central issue was not Dokubo’s ability to attract public attention but whether the allegation could withstand independent scrutiny.

“The central question, therefore, is not whether Asari Dokubo can command attention. He plainly can. The question is whether the substance of what he is saying can survive independent scrutiny,” he stated.

He summarised his position in three principles: “Whoever makes the allegation should provide the evidence. Whoever is accused should have the opportunity to respond.”

“And where national assets, oil revenues and matters of energy security are involved, the Nigerian state cannot afford to have policy and security decisions driven by political rhetoric, ethnic suspicion or the force of individual personalities.”

Prince Edema concluded by stressing that the controversy should ultimately be viewed within the wider context of protecting Nigeria’s oil infrastructure and economy.

He said, “Pipeline security is ultimately about more than contracts. It is about protecting national assets, safeguarding economic activity and securing an important part of Nigeria’s economic survival.”

He therefore called for the issue to be addressed through facts, accountability and institutional oversight, rather than inflammatory rhetoric.