[size=14pt]SAfrica police - Okah in contact with Nigeria bombers [/size]
14 Oct 2010 16:53:38 GMT
Source: Reuters
* South Africa police say Okah was bombing "mastermind"
* Okah denies responsibility
* Affidavits read at bail hearing in Johannesburg
By Jon Herskovitz

JOHANNESBURG, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Nigerian militant leader Henry Okah was in contact with his bombing conspirators in Nigeria before and after a deadly car blast in the capital of Abuja, according to a South African police investigation.

Okah was arrested in Johannesburg shortly after the blasts that killed at least 10 people at an Oct. 1 parade to mark the 50th anniversary of Nigerian independence. Four possible suspects have been arrested in Nigeria. [ID:nLDE6971FF]

South African police investigators said in an affidavit, read by a prosecutor at a bail hearing for Okah in a Johannesburg court, that he was "the mastermind" behind the blast but they could not reveal the evidence implicating Okah to protect their confidential sources.

Okah, residing in South Africa and charged with conspiracy in the bombing, said in an affidavit read by his defence lawyer that he did not have "any involvement whatsoever with the bomb acts".

The attacks were claimed by Nigeria's main militant group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).

Security experts believe Okah -- who accepted a government amnesty last year after gun-running and treason charges against him were dropped -- was at one time the brains behind MEND, although he has denied ever being its leader.

Police searched Okah's home and found invoices for the purchase of thousands of submachine guns, rockets launchers and anti-aircraft machine guns, but did not find any firearms.

They also found that Okah and his wife own about 10 properties in South Africa valued at over $1 million.

In a separate affidavit, Nigeria's attorney general asked that Okah be denied bail.

Okah, dressed in a brown sweater and jeans, shook his head and laughed when a prosecutor read the affidavit in which the attorney general said Okah was engaged in economic sabotage and had links to various terrorists groups.

"The case of the state is so weak against me that it is non-existent," Okah said in his affidavit.

Okah said he was being used as a political pawn by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of an election.

The bombs have brought regional rivalries in Africa's most populous nation to the top of the political agenda ahead of what was already set to be the most fiercely contested presidential race since the end of military rule a decade ago. [ID:nLDE69626G]

The court was adjourned before a decision was made on whether the grant Okah bail. It will resume on Friday. (Editing by Alison Williams)

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE69D1Z0.htm

Oya, all Okah's brand new lovers, how una see am nau?

South African police investigators said in an affidavit, read by a prosecutor at a bail hearing for Okah in a Johannesburg court, that he was "the mastermind" behind the blast but they could not reveal the evidence implicating Okah to protect their confidential sources.

Okah, residing in South Africa and charged with conspiracy in the bombing, said in an affidavit read by his defence lawyer that he did not have "any involvement whatsoever with the bomb acts".

The attacks were claimed by Nigeria's main militant group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).

hhmmm. . . .

[size=14pt]SAfrica: Diary, weapons receipt found at Okah home[/size]
By JENNY GROSS (AP) – 1 hour ago

JOHANNESBURG — South African prosecutors said Thursday that authorities had seized diaries vowing a "fight to the end" and a quotation for rocket-propelled grenades from the home of a Nigerian man accused of involvement in deadly car bomb attacks in his homeland.

The news came at a bail hearing for Henry Okah, who was arrested in Johannesburg on Oct. 2 and is being held on terror charges in connection with the bombings that killed at least 12 people in Nigeria's capital during a celebration to mark 50 years of independence. The hearing was adjourned until Friday.

Okah's lawyers say he denies any involvement in the attacks and say he is not a member of the militant group that claimed responsibility — the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, or MEND.

The diary entries, read in court, discuss guerrilla fighters, training discipline, the use of explosives, boats and night vision. In an entry dated Sept. 19, 2010, Okah wrote:

"God is with us. We will fight to the end," says an entry dated Sept. 19 — 11 days before the attacks.

Prosecutors said they also found in Okah's home a Sept. 3 invoice from a Chinese company not registered to deal in arms in South Africa showing the price of rocket launchers, rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades, guns and heavy artillery.

Nigeria's attorney general Mohammed Bello Adoke sent a written affidavit pleading for the magistrate not to release Okah, calling him the mastermind of the militant group and charging he is engaged in warfare and "economic sabotage" against Nigeria.

Okah, who has lived in South Africa for the past year, denies any involvement with MEND though he is widely believed to have been a former leader of the movement that has destroyed oil pipelines, kidnapped petroleum company workers and fought government troops since 2006.

The group accuses Nigeria's government of doing nothing to end poverty in the delta even as the nation receives billions of dollars from oil found in the delta region. Nigeria is a major oil supplier to the United States.

"I was arrested after the bomb attack to appease Nigerian officials who had placed significant pressure on South African authorities to arrest me," Okah said in an affidavit presented by his lawyer. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan's reaction to the bombings has "resulted in a serious embarrassment," he said.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h6tIbco7HA4xX6AbIhX4IDLMm6EgD9IRJBTO0?docId=D9IRJBTO0

The truth is gradually coming out.

We need better evidence. Okah made it clear that the struggles continue after the amnesty hence is anyone really in doubt that he still has contact with the faction of MEND who didn't accept the amnesty? The government even knows this that is why according to Okah, the they have been in contact with him many time so he can talk to the fighters still in the creeks. The smoking gun I was expecting is evidence linking Okah with the Abuja bombing. Still waiting for that to surface.

peacesak:

We need better evidence. Okah made it clear that the struggles continue after the amnesty hence is anyone really in doubt that he still has contact with the faction of MEND who didn't accept the amnesty? The government even knows this that is why according to Okah, the they have been in contact with him many time so he can talk to the fighters still in the creeks. The smoking gun I was expecting is evidence linking Okah with the Abuja bombing. Still waiting for that to surface.

Okah has said it repeatedly since his arrest, that he is not a member of MEND and has nothing to do with MEND. Why are we content to sit back and make up stories. The man is not in MEND by his own admission. Period.

As for your "smoking gun," SA police have stated that Okah was in touch with the Abuja bombers, before and after the event.

Nigerian ex-militant leader accused of involvement in deadly bombing attacks, Henry Okah, right, is led from the court after appearing for the third time in Johannesburg Thursday, Oct. 14, 2010. South African prosecutors said they have seized a military uniform and personal diary from the home of Okah. Okah denies any involvement with the militant group that claimed responsibility for the attacks in Nigeria's capital that killed a dozen people during a celebration to mark the country's 50th independence anniversary. (AP Photo /Tawanda Mudimu).

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/slideshow/ALeqM5h6tIbco7HA4xX6AbIhX4IDLMm6EgD9IRJBTO0?docId=D9IRJBTO0&index=0

[img]http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/media/ALeqM5hZDMxKelNajrbrOl9CNn_5mq_YMQ?docId=2537e558-8e78-407d-9f7f-8b94992c4126&size=l[/img]

Beaf:

Okah has said it repeatedly since his arrest, that he is not a member of MEND and has nothing to do with MEND. Why are we content to sit back and make up stories. The man is not in MEND by his own admission. Period.

As for your "smoking gun," SA police have stated that Okah was in touch with the Abuja bombers, before and after the event.

Do you believe him? Its just like Tompolo or Boyloaf saying they no longer have contacts with the militants still in the creeks. Its like asari saying he no longer has contacts with militants in the creeks. I believe while Okah may no longer be an active member, he still has some form of contact with them. In his interview he says the government have been in contact with him many times after the manesty. The government has not denied that. If that is true, it is obvious the government knows he still has contacts with the faction of MEND still active. Otherwise why meet a man that no longer has any influence.

The other issue is when the government says he had contacts with the bombers. That statement assume we already know the bombers. Who are they? Are they MEND or some individuals who want to cause trouble? Where does Mr Gbomo and his active MEND faction fit in all this? There are still many loose ends in this drama.

so are we sayin the attack was by mend after all and that gej was lying through his teeth?

peacesak:

Do you believe him? Its just like Tompolo or Boyloaf saying they no longer have contacts with the militants still in the creeks. Its like asari saying he no longer has contacts with militants in the creeks. I believe while Okah may no longer be an active member, he still has some form of contact with them. In his interview he says the government have been in contact with him many times after the manesty. The government has not denied that. If that is true, it is obvious the government knows he still has contacts with the faction of MEND still active. Otherwise why meet a man that no longer has any influence.

The other issue is when the government says he had contacts with the bombers. That statement assume we already know the bombers. Who are they? Are they MEND or some individuals who want to cause trouble? Where does Mr Gbomo and his active MEND faction fit in all this? There are still many loose ends in this drama.

Having contact is very different from membership. Both Okah and govt say he isn't a member of MEND; not only that, Okah is always referred to as ex-MEND by all reputable sources (who are usually quoting expert opinions from security agencies). When you start trying to fit Jomo Gbomo and MEND into the matter, you run into trouble, so go with what has been learned from authoritative sources in Nigeria and SA. When the investigation and trials are over, all loose ends would have been tied, the police and security agencies are not expected to share all their info with the public.

As for the bombers, there are four people in custody, but the matter is still being investigated, so their names will not be officially released for some time.

peacesak:

Do you believe him? Its just like Tompolo or Boyloaf saying they no longer have contacts with the militants still in the creeks. Its like asari saying he no longer has contacts with militants in the creeks. I believe while Okah may no longer be an active member, he still has some form of contact with them. In his interview he says the government have been in contact with him many times after the manesty. The government has not denied that. If that is true, it is obvious the government knows he still has contacts with the faction of MEND still active. Otherwise why meet a man that no longer has any influence.

The other issue is when the government says  he had  contacts with the bombers. That statement assume we already know the bombers. Who are they? Are they MEND or some individuals who want to cause trouble? W[b]here does Mr Gbomo and his active MEND faction fit in all this? There are still many loose ends in this drama.[/b]

I don't know what else we expected him to say at this point? Say he is affiliated with MEND but had no knowledge of the crime? How come our government is not going after the others who claimed public to have their finger on pulse of MEND , since there is evidence that MEND is linked to this?

This is a deviation from the real issue.FG was pointing fingers at IBB and even arrested Dokpesi.If they end up proving that Henry Okah and MEND did this,then the President is a desperate man and does not deserve our votes.The act of trying to rope in his opponents and trying to dent Dokpesi's image is a crime against humanity.In my analysis,there is nothing new here.I stated from day 1 that the President had personal issues with Henry Okah,hence his refusal to come back after Jonathan climbed to the top wrung.

Beaf:

Having contact is very different from active membership. Both Okah and govt say he isn't a member of MEND;

That is my point. The report says he had contacts with the bombers (am assuming MEND) before and after the bombing. Contact might mean a phone call. We need to know what was discussed in the conversation to be able to know if Okah is still an active member or if its just a mere contact. That is why in my initial post i said we need more evidence.

Beaf By Posting this you discredited your masters govmt

The governt said that the suspects are Ben Jessy and Chirma Orlu then went a bad way to arrest Dokpesi

When Okah is in the contact with the bombers and no link with okah and Dokpesi neither "cooked up" names like ben jessy and chirma orlu

And neither link with his main Rivals Campaign DG Dokpesi

You shouldnt have posted this, you are indirectly saying the government of jonathan is twisting the facts and lieing and intimidating his opponents

SA government just started their prosecution, when Okah was arrested ppl said they did it cause of pressure from Nigeria. Now SA police say they have evidence ppl say show us the evidence and how does that lead to Dopkesi and this and that. Soon them go show una evidence and una go find another story.

My take is let SA authorities do their prosecution more will come out, and then maybe Nigeria will start their own prosecution too and then we will know who and who was involved. Its premature to accuse GEJ now of roping in his opponents.

Is Okah a personal threat to GEJ? Why else would he be charged if the govt. has nothing against him? Why won't he open his mouth wide and tell the world the president's aide that contacted him? I think Okah has something to hide, he's only confident because he believes that he left no trail. He may not have the last laugh, after all.

They have evidences but cant provide it?

FG is a joke anyday.

let me get this straight though

they found receipts for arms

is okah not an arms dealer?

sort of like finding receipts for pc hardware in the house of a computer retailer

oyb:

let me get this straight though

they found receipts for arms

is okah not an arms dealer?

sort of like finding receipts for pc hardware in the house of a computer retailer

GBAM at the bolded!!!!!

Funny enough! Is the receipts before or after the amnesty programmes?

Evidences indeed!!!

i just feel this guy keepd viting more than he can chew. why shld he own property over 1 million dollars. he shld be investigated as to what kind of supplies he does and to who. how can a supplier of firearms not be used to plan something disastrous if paid well. 4 all i care, i dnt like that guy one bit. PERIOD.

chosen04:

GBAM at the bolded!!!!!

Funny enough! Is the receipts before or after the amnesty programmes?

Evidences indeed!!!

October 1 Bombing: Weapon receipts, diary found in Okah's home
advertisement
Henry Okah

South African prosecutors said Thursday that authorities had seized diaries vowing a "fight to the end" and a quotation for rocket-propelled grenades from the home of a Nigerian man accused of involvement in deadly car bomb attacks in his homeland.

The news came at a bail hearing for Henry Okah, who was arrested in Johannesburg on Oct. 2 and is being held on terror charges in connection with the bombings that killed at least 12 people in Nigeria's capital during a celebration to mark 50 years of independence. The hearing was adjourned until Friday.

Okah's lawyers say he denies any involvement in the attacks and say he is not a member of the militant group that claimed responsibility — the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, or MEND.

The diary entries, read in court, discuss guerrilla fighters, training discipline, the use of explosives, boats and night vision. In an entry dated Sept. 19, 2010, Okah wrote:

"God is with us. We will fight to the end," says an entry dated Sept. 19 — 11 days before the attacks.

Prosecutors said they also found in Okah's home a Sept. 3 invoice from a Chinese company not registered to deal in arms in South Africa showing the price of rocket launchers, rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades, guns and heavy artillery.

Nigeria's attorney general Mohammed Bello Adoke sent a written affidavit pleading for the magistrate not to release Okah, calling him the mastermind of the militant group and charging he is engaged in warfare and "economic sabotage" against Nigeria.


Okah, who has lived in South Africa for the past year, denies any involvement with MEND though he is widely believed to have been a former leader of the movement that has destroyed oil pipelines, kidnapped petroleum company workers and fought government troops since 2006.

The group accuses Nigeria's government of doing nothing to end poverty in the delta even as the nation receives billions of dollars from oil found in the delta region. Nigeria is a major oil supplier to the United States.

"I was arrested after the bomb attack to appease Nigerian officials who had placed significant pressure on South African authorities to arrest me," Okah said in an affidavit presented by his lawyer. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan's reaction to the bombings has "resulted in a serious embarrassment," he said.


http://www.pointblanknews.com/News/os4058.html

yes arms dealer supplying which country? or kidnappers.

Beaf u doing a good job here, but there is no need to argue with people who feel they know the jobs of the police and security agents better than those that were trained.

Where in the world have u seen investigators declaring all the info they have, any criminal who has done his homework properly never owns up to crime even when glaring evidences are put up against them.

Okah is a criminal amnesty or not, he has contacts with the bombers, he is a known arms dealer, so the bombers who gave them funds to purchase explosives are more important than the bombers themselves.

In due time the truth or what will be accepted as the truth will be out and would still be up for debate.

Beaf u doing a good job here, but there is no need to argue with people who feel they know the jobs of the police and security agents better than those that were trained.

spare us the long grammer

amazing that in the defense of the incompetent in aso rock, people are using adjectives like 'expert' to describe the idiots that make up our security apparatus

the same people who have not solved ige's murder - and who are best at harassing civilians are now experts who should be left to do their job

Abagworo:

This is a deviation from the real issue.FG was pointing fingers at IBB and even arrested Dokpesi.If they end up proving that Henry Okah and MEND did this,then the President is a desperate man and does not deserve our votes.The act of trying to rope in his opponents and trying to dent Dokpesi's image is a crime against humanity.In my analysis,there is nothing new here.I stated from day 1 that the President had personal issues with Henry Okah,hence his refusal to come back after Jonathan climbed to the top wrung.

True. Everybody is a suspect in this case for now - even the SA govt/police. With the threat that FG gave SA over MTN's nationalization, even Jesus can be found guilty in this atrocious crime. We will be watching

meanwhile, is anything being done about those fellows we saw in the creeks?

or is our goverment waiting for them to blow up pipelines before our 'security experts' swing into action?

oyb:

let me get this straight though

they found receipts for arms

is okah not an arms dealer?

sort of like finding receipts for pc hardware in the house of a computer retailer

Arms dealer? or you meant licensed   arms dealer? now i want to ask where the license covers. Even  a licensed  arms dealer would have commited a crime if he did what orkah is accused of-- buying from an unauthorised source. Secondly reports showing the purchases from the dealer, such that arms can be properly tracked is needed, how can orkah explain this?

If the items so far gathered, dont point to a crime, you can be sure the SA police would not even bother presenting them

chosen04:

GBAM at the bolded!!!!!

Funny enough! Is the receipts before or after the amnesty programmes?
Evidences indeed!!!

i suspect you did not see this :

Prosecutors said they also found in Okah's home a Sept. 3 invoice from a Chinese company not registered to deal in arms in South Africa showing the price of rocket launchers, rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades, guns and heavy artillery.

If the items so far gathered, dont point to a crime, you can be sure the SA police would not even bother presenting them

you forget the sa police originally released him for lack of evidence and only rearrested him at the insistence of the fg after their threat of nationalising mtn

it is on record that the sa police are still expecting evidence form the FG to butress thier non existent case.

most importantly, an invoice for arms cannot implicate him in the bomb blast, it can implicate him in  different case, supplying arms to terrorists, but as far as the bomb blast is concerned they have no case.

unless they try to claim he supplied bomb making materials - which they can do, but which will be a whole new level of stupidity, since all i need is a quick google search and household/locally available  materials to make a bomb. ask timothy mcveigh.

all this oyibo analysis of the bomb fragments will yield absolutely nothing, sinc paper trails do not exist in nigeria, and our police idea of investigation is torturing suspects for information.

Even a licensed arms dealer would have commited a crime if he did what orkah is accused of-- buying from an unauthorised source

buying goods from an unauthorised source does not equate to terrorism. it is something that can cause you to lose your license , but not much more, imho.

Nigerians are simply daft. The President told us that this man was responsible from day one and said it was wrong for him (Okah) and his cronies; independent bomb blaster (IBB) conspirators to hide under the umbrella of a group focused on fighting the marginalisation of the south-south region. Thus his assertion that MEND was not responsible was right.
We all know OKAH is a gun-runner and that the current President of South-Africa is a gun runner too. That was why Mbeki had issues about handing over the affairs of south Africa to him. Would it not to be logical to think that the initial efforts made to protect OKAH was an instruction from Zuma a possible accomplice.
Did anyone notice that ZUMA was not available on the day of our celebration. If not for anything, Nigeria supported the fight for the end of apartheid and the emancipation of black Africans. He was not there but Thabo Mbeki was there.
OKAH is a criminal and should be treated that way and if anybody from now henceforth carry out any attack on any government facility or interest, it is entirely in place to tag such act an act of terrorism because the amnesty programme enshrine the right to seek for individual freedom and rights without the use of force in the Niger-Delta. This of course was signed by most militants as well as Okah, who was released from prison by Femi Falana.
Having signed not to be found dealing or using arms to push for the emancipation of the Niger-deltan cause, it is then criminally to see any receipt or message that upholds violent within his domain.
To directly threaten the government of Nigeria that our entity will remain ungovernable unless oil blocs are allocated to him and his cronies is another breach of the agreement signed during the amnesty.
We all should be clear that an act of sabotage in whatever form to facilities protected under the laws of a recognised state is punishable under law.
Okah is a drowning man who dug his own grave and is seeking for cheap sympathy after possibly shedding innocent blood on October 1st. Let the blood of the innocent seek vengeance and make life uncomfortable for all the generations of those who orchestrated the October 1st bomb blast.

The truth is unfolding. If he had contact with the bombers before and after the blast, then that is indicative of the fact that he was aware of the plot.

When it comes to defending the incompetence on President JEGA, his supporters will pull out a pin hole camera and microscope to pin-point fault.

If its his opponents, they will pull out a very big brush and depend heavily on assumptions to sail home their wild accusations.

Obviously, the evidence against Okah appears quite Loose, but the truth shall indeed come out one day if not soon. More importantly why hasn't FG gone after those that did the actual bombings in Nigeria? Or was it Okah that detonated the Bomb from SA? This govt is very incompetent despite being warned 5-days to the Big "event" they Just slept off, furthermore Zuma was not in the Oct 1 Celebration becoz Just like most western countries, he probably Believed the Govt was incompetent to Handle the issue of Security.