In a recent video shared on Facebook on Thursday, March 5, 2026, former Niger Delta militant leader and outspoken activist Asari Dokubo has issued a stark warning to the United States and separatist groups, rejecting what he describes as foreign scheming to exploit Nigeria’s oil resources and reshape political outcomes in the country. In a widely circulated video clip shared on social media, Dokubo declared: “If American comes in here, to take our oil, to create Biafra for Igbo people, they will not leave this place.”
The controversial statement reflects Dokubo’s deep distrust of foreign involvement in Nigeria’s oil‑rich Niger Delta region, the heart of the country’s petroleum industry. He further alleged that some external powers might be looking to leverage oil supplies as a way to advance political agendas — including ambitions related to the secessionist ideal of Biafra — and warned that such intentions would be met with fierce resistance.
Dokubo’s remarks specifically linked American interest in Nigeria’s oil to factions within the pro‑Biafra movement, the separatist campaign led by groups like the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He accused certain elements within that struggle of trying to involve foreign players to “take our oil and give it to others,” adding that outsiders who appear with those intentions will face deadly consequences.
“This is not just political rhetoric,” said a Lagos‑based political analyst who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Dokubo is tapping into long‑standing fears in the Niger Delta about external powers benefiting from crude oil at the expense of local communities. His militant past and history of direct action give his words an edge that many Nigerians find unsettling.”
Dokubo first came to national prominence in the early 2000s as the founder and leader of the now‑defunct Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF), a militia that fought for greater control of the Delta’s oil wealth and better living conditions for local populations. His force significantly disrupted oil production and drew global attention to the region’s grievances before he accepted government amnesty and later emerged as a rare, powerful voice for regional autonomy and resource control.
Critics have condemned the activist’s recent rhetoric as divisive and dangerous, particularly amid ongoing national debates over resource governance, federal unity and ethnic tensions. Civil society groups have argued that public figures should avoid language that could incite violence or deepen mistrust among communities.
Supporters say Dokubo’s defiant tone resonates with many in the Niger Delta who feel marginalized by federal policies and disenfranchised in discussions about oil revenue distribution. They argue his warnings signal a broader frustration with a status quo that has seen rich natural resources extracted with limited development benefits for the region.
Watch video HERE