Henry Okah Released - Nigerian Village Square

Jul

2009

Henry Okah Released

By BBC News

Nigeria releases key rebel leader

One of Nigeria's main rebel leaders, Henry Okah, has been freed from jail as part of a government amnesty.

Mr Okah had been held for more than a year on charges of treason.

He was said to be one of the heads of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), but on leaving jail denied he was the leader.

Mend claims to be fighting for a fairer distribution of Nigeria's oil wealth. The release came hours after it launched a deadly attack in Lagos.

Mr Okah was arrested in Angola in 2007 and charged with treason and gun-running charges.

“ You have become a free man at this moment ”

Judge Mohammed Liman

His release has been a key demand of his group.

At a hearing in the central city of Jos, Judge Mohammed Liman told Mr Okah he was discharged.

"Having reviewed what the attorney general said, you have become a free man at this moment," said the judge.

On his release, Mr Okah said he would hold consultations with the rest of the group.

In a bid to end years of rebel attacks on the oil industry, the government offered militants an amnesty three weeks ago.

Officials said any rebel willing to give up their weapons by October would benefit from a rehabilitation programme, including education and training opportunities.

But Mend leaders said they would reject the amnesty - and have since claimed responsibility for several attacks including one earlier in Lagos, away from its usual area of operation in the Nigeria Delta.

The government's critics say the amnesty is unlikely to work because the unrest is not a straightforward political struggle but involves economic and land rights.

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/8148535.stm

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Robot

# 1 | 13.07.2009 13:44

	Nigeria releases key rebel leader://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46051000/One of Nigeria's main rebel leaders, Henry Okah, has been freed from jail as part of a government amnesty. Mr Okah had been held for more than a year on charges of treason. He was said to be one of the heads of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), but on leaving jail denied he was the leader. Mend claims to be fighting for a fairer distribution of Nigeria's oil wealth. The release came hours after it launched a deadly attack in Lagos. Mr Okah was arrested in Angola in 2007 and charged with treason and gun-running charges. “You have become a free man at this moment” Judge Mohammed Liman His release has be...Read the full article.

iamgod iamgod is offline

# 2 | 13.07.2009 16:54

	Why does the forkingg, idiotic international media keep referring to MEND and Henry Okah as rebels? Dem dey maddd????

Anioma777 Anioma777 is offline

# 3 | 13.07.2009 17:24

	@i am god Take it easy, you no sey dis yeye international press just love nothing better than to castigate and print negative information about Africa. I hope MEND dont get deceived. I am happy he has been released,but the FG goverment still have no clue. The root cause of the Niger Delta and the decay of Nigeria as a whole still remains.:(

nzeifedigbo nzeifedigbo is offline

# 4 | 13.07.2009 18:43

	Who told BBC that MEND is a rebel group and that Okah is a rebel leader? Rubbish. Hurts me that some Nigerian media have also refered to them as so. MEND however shocked and really disappointed me when it attacked Atlas Cove on sunday. Haba...Not when their Okah was about to be released a requested by them. Now that Okah is free lets see what follows.

sunnycool sunnycool is offline

# 5 | 13.07.2009 19:42

	=nzeifedigbo;371348>Who told BBC that MEND is a rebel group and that Okah is a rebel leader? Rubbish. Hurts me that some Nigerian media have also refered to them as so. MEND however shocked and really disappointed me when it attacked Atlas Cove on sunday. Haba...Not when their Okah was about to be released a requested by them. *Now that Okah is free lets see what follows.*> If you dont know what will follow, ask Asari Dokubo . You cant stay in Nigeria's prison for one year and not gentle when you finally regain your freedom. Henry okah will surely follow the path of Asari Dokubo. He will soon become an 'Abuja boy' too .By the way, who told you guys that MEND is not a 'REBEL GROUP' ? Pick your dictionary or do a simple online check for the meaning of Rebel group , instead of being too emotional with BBC . Mend is 100% qualified to be desribed as Rebels. As a matter of fact, most of them have digresses from the main cause they claimed to be fighing to criminal acticities .

lateesha lateesha is offline

# 6 | 13.07.2009 20:56

	Is MEND not a rebel group are they owigiri dancers? They introduced kidnapping and bombing of oil lines to Nigeria what else are they? Please let's call a spade a spade.

Profegee Profegee is offline

# 7 | 14.07.2009 00:04

	Nigeria is in a big mess! This isn't worth celebrating at all. The Akure 27 are languishing in jail for not posing a threat to the unity and stability of the nation, yet no group protested screamed for their unconditional release despite the selfless service to the nation. What's exciting in the release of Henry Okah? If MEND is not a "rebel group", then what is it? Freedom fighter? Let's stop deceiving ourselves. Were they not supplied amunitions by politicians in the first instance? What's their origin? No matter the genuiness of the motive of MEND, it is unmistakable that its mode of operation has empowered criminality than anytime in the history of this country.

10Kobo 10Kobo is offline

# 8 | 14.07.2009 00:45

	"Very soon, the camouflage will have to come off and everyone will have to put their money where their mouth is"! Facts are that Orkah has been released. MEND has bombed Lagos. N.D agitations are still on the table A lot of questions will soon follow: Terrorist or Freedom fighter? Who are the enemies? Which Target are legitimate are which ones are not? Can BOMBS alone win the struggle or does the "struggle for hearts and minds" come next, after the bombs? *Is this struggle for "equitability", just for MEND alone or are other parts of the country (like Lagos), also suffering for the same problem as the N.D.? So many questions are coming and MEND's strategy would be put to test very soon! Very soon 10Kobo

S. Njokede S. Njokede is offline

# 9 | 14.07.2009 01:07

	Now, listen to warfarist and expert freedom fighter, Che Guevara: "I believe in armed struggle as the only solution for people who are fighting for freedom, and I act according to this belief. Many will call me an adventurer, and I am, but of a different kind – one who risks his skin to prove his convictions” MEND shouldn´t take Yar´Adua´s promise for general pardon to the bank. This man is highly, very deceptive. Go and ask El-Rufai and Ribadu for confirmation. Even so, this particular amnesty is going straight to hell. Tell me, which one of Yaradua´s programmes or 7-Point Agenda has seen the light!? Halliburton commitee, Committee set up to cushion effects of the Planet-wide economic recession, Justice Uwais-lead electoral reform committee &co.&co. None has been given the breathing space to thrive because they were all conceived in deception, lies and inaction. If MEND is looking for something to praise, why not hail Nelson Mandela, Obama or the Caucasian-born Mother Theresa of Indian? At least they´d be sure they´ve something to look unto and hold unto. MEND mustn´t stop until they cripple Nigeria´s economic mainstay. The have-nots in Nigeria have always taken care of themselves however, apart from the huge earning from oil that has benefited thieves in Abuja faking as leaders. Those eking out their living out of nothingness don´t depend on government, they wont feel the impact should the economy cripple. MEND should for Modesty sake, direct their attacks to the looting politicians - threat of force is the only language that the playboys and playgirls in Aso Rock plus proxy understand. Guys, never sleep with your two eyes closed. www.punchbadleaders@yahoo.com

dhoney dhoney is offline

# 10 | 14.07.2009 02:42

	Freedom fighters for which people??? Hell noooooo! If the truth must be told,this MEND group are not freedom fighters but pure rogues.These are guys who are multimillionaire in any currency.If anybody has been to the houses of Dokubor and his ilks in PH,you will understand what it means to be a freedom fighter.>!.These guys are bunch of cultists created by the fomer govt in Rivers and its opposition.An average reasonable PH person knows that these guys are not in this for the development of their region. They are the author of kidnapping and assasination in the country. I wonder where they were during military era?

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