The Presidency has denied report in a section of the media that President Goodluck Jonathan sent a presidential jet to convey his kinsman, Asari Dokubo from Cotonou, following his release on Thursday by the gendarmes in Benin Republic.
The ex-militant was arrested and detained in Cotonou on Wednesday. But, President Jonathan intervened following special appeal from Dokubo’s lawyer and human rights activist, Festus Keyamo.
Presidential Media Adviser, Reuben Abati, told State House correspondents that there was no iota of truth in the report, calling for facts to substantiate the claim.
He said, “There is no truth in the report that a presidential jet was used to convey Asari Dokubo. Again, what we see here is the attempt by people to just tell lies and try to package lies as the truth.
“I have read some reports in which they said “unconfirmed reports indicate..” Nobody has been able to say anything categorically and I think it is very sad that people, in an attempt to just play politics with anything at all, will start packaging lies hoping that gullible persons will believe them.
“An aircraft is not a ghost in the air. The movement of any aircraft is properly documented and people will see the aircraft if it lands anywhere, particularly the presidential aircraft.
“Nobody can come up with any evidence that any presidential jet was sent to Benin Republic. I can tell you that President Jonathan did not send any presidential jet to Benin Republic.
“Or has Asari Dokubo told anybody that he was brought to Nigeria in a presidential jet? So what is this all about? Blackmail and mischief obviously”.
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