Two groups founded and led by Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari yesterday issued a 48 hours ultimatum for his release. Dokubo was arrested for undisclosed reasons in Cotonou, Benin Republic, on Tuesday afternoon and is being held incommunicado.

“We hereby make demand on the Republic of Benin President, Mr. Yayi Bonni, to release unconditionally with immediate effect our leader, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, and offer unreserved apology to him for this monumental breach of his rights,” the Niger Delta Peoples Salvation Front (NDPSF) and the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF) said in a joint statement, adding:

“We hereby make it known that we shall by every means necessary draw the attention of the international community to the reality of our condition that is politically motivated by enemies of the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration and of our struggle for the emancipation of our people who are afraid of the unfading rising profile of our leader as a defender of the rights of the oppressed.

“We call on all the aggrieved youths of Niger-Delta to be on red alert and ready for a total showdown and shut down if in the next 48 hours his release has not been made.”

NDPSF and NDPVF alleged that the same people who have been working moves to destabilise President Jonathan’s government were behind Dokubo-Asari’s ordeal.

Hear them: “We wish to put these characters on notice that should political crisis swallow the West Africa sub-region, the blame will be upon them.

“We consider this a kidnap of our leader by the President of the Republic of Benin working with certain opposition figures in Nigeria.

“Our struggle which today has advanced the cause of social justice in Nigeria is a just, moral and legitimate struggle that is in tandem with the United Nations charter and Convention on Self Determination.

“We wish to reiterate that our leader has been living legally in the Republic of Benin for some years and has been law abiding doing his businesses in accordance with the best practices.”

•Photo shows Dokubo-Asari.