Dokubo-Asari Challenges ‘Army of Occupation’ Claim, Says Evidence Should Settle Land Dispute

The Amanyanabo of the Source, Da Amakiri Tubo, Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari, has rejected allegations by the Udekama Council of Chiefs that Royal Fouche Security Services operates as an “army of occupation” and is involved in land grabbing, insisting that those making the accusations should produce evidence. In a development that has turned an already sensitive land dispute into another chapter of Rivers State’s never-ending courtroom drama, Dokubo-Asari said the dispute predates his involvement and should be determined by documentary evidence, judicial records and the law.

‘Show Me the Land’: Dokubo-Asari Demands Evidence

Dokubo-Asari described the allegations as “sad, vexatious and provocative,” arguing that attempts to connect him personally to the longstanding dispute risk turning a complicated community matter into a much bigger confrontation. He said he had never claimed ownership of the disputed land and maintained that the disagreement between neighbouring communities existed long before he became involved.

His response effectively puts the controversy on a simple but important test: where is the evidence? Rather than allowing accusations and counter-accusations to become the unofficial title documents, Dokubo-Asari said the land question should be separated from security concerns and resolved through the courts. He also welcomed a possible judicial panel of inquiry by the Rivers State Government to investigate the land-grabbing allegations.

Security Operation or ‘Occupation Army’?

The Amanyanabo also defended the activities of Royal Fouche Security Services, saying the organisation had helped reduce kidnapping and armed robbery along the corridor. According to him, residents and transporters should be asked about the security situation before conclusions are reached about whether the operation represents protection or occupation.

That argument, however, leaves the public with the central question still sitting stubbornly on the table: when does private security become an occupation force, and when is a disputed piece of land simply a disputed piece of land? Dokubo-Asari says the answer should not be decided by volume, political influence or who can produce the loudest allegation, but by evidence and the law. His position is particularly significant because he has been serving as Amanyanabo of the Source since receiving his staff of office from former Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara in December 2024.

The latest controversy therefore appears to have moved beyond the usual exchange of accusations into a demand for proof, with Dokubo-Asari calling for the land-grabbing allegation to be properly investigated. For now, the land remains disputed, the accusations remain contested, and the evidence has become the star witness everybody is waiting to see. OGM News NG will continue to watch the developments and bring readers further updates as the Rivers State dispute unfolds.