Biafra Declaration: Dokubo, a ‘joker seeking attention’ – Official

A spokesperson for the Nigerian government says Asari Dokubo was free to “form and run a fathom(sic) government.”

The Nigerian government has described the reported formation of Biafra Customary Government by Asari Dokubo as a “theatre of the absurd by a joker seeking attention.”

Speaking on the development, with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration would not be distracted by the “absurdity.”

“I am sure you have heard of the theatre of the absurd,” Mr Mohammed said, “that is the best way I can describe it.”

“If Asari Dokubo wants to form and run a fathom(sic)government, I think he is free to do so. This administration will not be distracted because we still have a lot to do.

“We are not ready to give any attention or time to a joker like Dokubo who is just looking for attention. We will just take it as one of these entertainment things.

“The beauty about Nigeria is that it is never a dull country, you must have one thing or the other to entertain you,” he said.

Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Salvation Force, reportedly announced himself as the leader of the new “Biafra Customary Government.”

The phantom government was announced with names of some leaders by one Uche Mefor, who claimed to be its head of information and communications.

IPOB, a separatist group led by Nnamdi Kanu, has been agitating for an independent state of Biafra to be carved out from Nigeria’s South-east and South-south regions.

In the country’s North-east, the insurgency by a terrorist group, Boko Haram, has led to loss of thousands of lives for several years now.

(NAN)