The Presidency on Thursday refuted an online media report that a presidential jet was used to convey Alhaji Mujaheed Asari-Dokubo from Benin Republic after his release.
Dr Reuben Abati, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, told State House correspondents that the report was false.
“Again, what we see here is an attempt by people to just tell lies and try to package lies as the truth. “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,’’ he said.
Abati wondered whether Asari Dokubo told anybody that he was brought to Nigeria in a presidential jet. “So, what is this all about? Blackmail and mischief obviously,’’ he said. It will be recalled that the leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteers Force was reportedly arrested by the gendarme (Police) in Benin Republic early this week. His lawyer, Festus Keyamo, raised the alarm of his arrest in that country.
