Henry Okah, the detained leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), blamed for the 2010 Independence Day bomb that killed at least 10 people with many more injured, is to tell a South African court the attacks were sponsored by President Goodluck Jonathan.

That, he said, came after the president and those working for him, had engineered similar attacks earlier in March 2010.

“It is my belief that President Goodluck Jonathan's government working with a faction of MEND planned and executed the bombings of 14 March 2010 and 1 October 2010,” Mr. Okah said in an affidavit deposed at a South African court.

The president's spokesperson, Reuben Abati...Read More at: http://premiumtimesng.com/politics/4906-henry_okah_insists_jonathan_behind_bomb_attacks.html

No Okah, No

Hmmmmmmm !!!

PDP=MEND=Boko Haram!

Rhino.5dm:
PDP=MEND=Boko Haram!

I always knew

Both boko haram and MEND are political tools.

MEND claim to be fighting for ND but ND has not really changed. How I wish Nigerians irrespective of zone and ethnicity can come together do the right thing for the sake of our future

If pdp = boko haram

and pdp = Niger delta militants

.'. Pdp = Terrorist organization.

FRONT PAGE!!!. . .Seun don't pretend not to see this ooooooo!

~Bluetooth:

If pdp = boko haram

and pdp = Niger delta militants

.'. Pdp = Terrorist organization.

Gbam!

[size=18pt]make una join OPC,bakassi boys,and Egbesu boys . . so that e go complete[/size]

jmaine: make una join OPC Massob,bakassi,and Egbesu boys . . so that e go complete

Gbam!!

jmaine: make una join OPC Massob,bakassi,and Egbesu boys . . so that e go complete

Jmaine Jmaine, you this PDP man sha You no fit gree

Why ? Has OPC, Massob , Bakassi and Egbesu boys bombed Nigerians and kill hundreds ?

jmaine: [size=18pt]make una join OPC,bakassi boys,and Egbesu boys . . so that e go complete[/size]

Honestly,OPC needs to upgrade to modern warfare.

He is saying the obvious! No need exonerating any terrorist group, they are all terrorist.

PDP should find way and end this nonsense. We are tired of watching innocent people dying in the name of agitation or religion or rotational-presidency stup!dity.

alj harem:

Jmaine Jmaine, you this PDP man sha You no fit gree

Why ? Has OPC, Massob , Bakassi and Egbesu boys bombed Nigerians and kill hundreds ?

Oga okah, plz, if you want to get more attention than what you are gettin now, am sure there are many other ways to get it than to say uncle jona masterminded the bombins. If you say 'dis man is not capable of rulin dis country', accepted, 'clueless', checked, 'confused', agreed, 'corrupt' ok, but to say, he masterminded dos bombings, mbanu, plz try again.

Mr. Okah says the President and his aides organized the attacks in a desperate political strategy to demonize political opponents, and win popular sympathy ahead of the 2011 elections

 

Henry Okah, the detained leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), blamed for the 2010 Independence Day bomb that killed at least 10 people with many more injured, is to tell a South African court the attacks were sponsored by President Goodluck Jonathan.

That, he said, came after the president and those working for him, had engineered similar attacks earlier in March 2010.

“It is my belief that President Goodluck Jonathan's government working with a faction of MEND planned and executed the bombings of 14 March 2010 and 1 October 2010,” Mr. Okah said in an affidavit deposed at a South African court.

The president's spokesperson, Reuben Abati, could not be reached to comment for this story. Calls to his mobile telephone was neither answered nor returned.

The sworn affidavit is expected to be filed at the court between Tuesday and Wednesday as Mr. Okah renews his bid to secure a bail after spending more than one year in a South African jail.

His trial is set to start October 1, 2012, exactly two years since a devastating blast that occurred less than a kilometer from the Eagles Square in Abuja where President Jonathan was attending Nigeria’s 50th anniversary.

The militant group, MEND, which authorities said Mr. Okah headed, claimed responsibility for the attack. Mr. Okah has denied membership of the group and plotting the attacks.

Instead, in a shocking deposition that further deepens the complexity of an already convoluted case, Mr. Okah, who lives in South Africa, said Mr. Jonathan and his aides organized the attacks in a desperate political strategy to demonize political opponents, and win popular sympathy ahead of the 2011 elections.

“The purpose of the 14 March 2010 bombing in my opinion was to create an atmosphere of insecurity in the Niger Delta where President Goodluck Jonathan at that time, was fighting to oust the governor Mr. Emmanuel Uduaghan whom President Goodluck Jonathan intended to replace with his Minister for Niger Delta, Mr Godsday Orubebe,” Mr. Okah said in a 194-page affivadavit obtained by PREMIUM TIMES.

“The bombing on 1 October 2010 was a platform for the elimination of political opposition from the north in the form of General Ibrahim 8abangida. The bombing of 1 October 2010 was also intended by the President Goodluck Jonathan Government to create anti North sentiments nationwide in order to galvanize support from other sections of Nigeria against other northern candidates in the Presidential elections,” he said.

The allegations first came to light in an interview Mr. Okah granted Arabic satellite television, Al Jazeera in October 2010 weeks after the blast. In the interview, he blamed the attacks on Mr. Jonathan’s aides and claimed he was arrested for refusing to influence MEND, to retract its claim of responsibility.

Since then, Mr. Okah has been denied bail at least twice, with one at the South Gauteng High court, Johannesburg where he is filing a new application for bail based on “new facts.”
Ahead of the start of trial October, Mr. Okah confirmed he has been availed with the details of evidences planned to be used against him.

The statements and exhibits, contained in a police docket obtained by the investigating officer, bear allegations the Nigerian government- now through its South African counterpart- put forward against the alleged former militant leader.

The previously known details contain claims of alleged phone communication between Mr. Okah and the those who carried out the attacks, allegedly on his orders, computer records, photographs purporting to show incriminating images and other materials.

His new appeal for bail is based on those evidences which he describes as being “extremely weak”. Mr. Okah said none of the exhibits had been substantiated to be linking him to the crime, and concluded that based on those claims, “It was unlikely that the state will be successful in a criminal prosecution against me.”

Despite Mr. Okah’s repeated denials of links to MEND and its attacks, his narration paints a picture of a former powerful figure whose influence over ex-militants, was courted by politicians, in the same breath regarded as a threat.

He spoke with Mr. Jonathan several times on phone, a telltale aspect of a long-standing relationship he said started in 1999 while the president was the deputy governor in Bayelsa state.

While the nation faced a leadership crisis during the sickness of late President Umar Yar’adua in 2009, Mr. Okah emerged a prominent figure in the aftermath of a successful amnesty programme for the Niger Delta militant, initiated by Mr. Yar’adua.

Politicians knew he could influence the ex-fighters and even what continued to go on in the oil rich creeks. It was a role President Jonathan needed, Mr. Okah’s statement pointed out, as did prospective opponents for the 2011 election like former military ruler, Mr. Babangida, and even current petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.[/b]

Mr. Jonathan repeatedly sent his aides, including Godsday Orubebe (Niger Delta minister), Oronto Douglas, and others to him in South Africa, to seek his support, he said.
His indifference, amid reports he was rooting for Mr. Babangida, as well as his refusal to rein MEND in on the statement, informed his arrest, Mr. Okah said.

He claim he was close to Jonathan so much so, Mrs. Alison-Madueke, then a minister of Mines and Steel, needed his support for President Jonathan to pick her ahead of Odein Ajumogobia, for the petroleum slot.

[b]“The last call I received from Ms Madueke was at 6:41:35 on 4 April 2010 during which she thanked me for my contribution in influencing her appointment as Minister of Petroleum,” he said.

He said he was in touch with the president’s close aides when the October 1, 2010 bomb came off, and had no inkling his arrest was being planned.

[size=20pt]“Dieziani Allison-Madueke Called Me Over 20 Times In Quest To Become Minister For Petroleum,” Claims Henry Okah In Affidavit[/size]

May 2, 2012 - 05:36





In an affidavit to be filed in a South African court, detained Mr. Henry Okah claims that in just the first few days of April 2010, after Mr. Goodluck Jonathan became Acting President of Nigeria, one Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke called him over 20 times for help to become Petroleum Minister. 

 

In her calls, Ms. Madueke explained that she “was competing for the post of the Minister of Petroleum with the now Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr, Odein Ajumogobia,” and asked for assistance “to tip the scale in her favor.”

 

In the 42-page affidavit, Mr. Okah claims Mrs. Madueke specifically asked him to speak to President Jonathan and “put a good word for her,” furnishing him with up to date information on the president’s availability via calls and text messages.  Mr. Okah then spoke to President Jonathan in the early hours of April 5, 2010, he says in the affidavit, following which Mrs. Madueke later called to thank him for his contribution in influencing her appointment as Minister for Petroleum.

 

Okah says in the affidavit that he reluctantly accepted to speak to Ms. Madueke at the prompting of now presidential adviser, Mr. Oronto Douglas, who, he said, called him on April 4, 2010, saying that Ms. Diezani Allison-Madueke was desperate to speak to him.  Mr. Douglas underlined Mrs. Madueke’s need of Okah’s assistance in persuading President Jonathan to appoint her Minister for Petroleum.

 

In March of 2010, Mr. Jonathan had sent Douglas to meet Okah in South Africa, according to the affidavit.  During their meeting, which took place between March 31 and April 1, Mr. Douglas informed Okah that the Northern region of Nigeria was doing everything to prevent Jonathan from being the president.

 

Mr. Okah has been in a South African Prison since October 2, 2010. He is charged under the Terrorist Act’s Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Act, Act 33 of 2004. He has been denied bail by various courts in South Africa.

 

Okah was linked with the 2010 Independence Day bombing of the Eagle Square in Abuja.  Okah is facing charges that Chima Orlu, who allegedly supervised the operation, acted under his instructions.  Prosecutors allege that he was in communication via phone and SMS with Mr. Orlu and another co-perpetrator, Ben Jessy Ebere.

 

In Mr. Okah’s new affidavit, he affirms that on the day of the bombing, he received a call from Mr. Moses Jituboh, the Head of Personal Security to President Jonathan, who asked him to continue to cooperate with the President. 

As Mr. Okah asserted in 2010, following the bombing, Mr. Jituboh also asked him to shift the blame of the bombing to radical elements in the North.

 

Following the emergence of new facts, Mr. Okah is reapplying for bail. In his response to new information in his police docket that contains evidential material that will be used in his trial.  Okah is facing trial at South Gauteng High Court that is estimated to last over 18 months.

 

He is pleading with the court to grant him bail because the case against him is weak and the state cannot provide evidential material to support their case.

 
The case will begin on October 1, 2012 by which time he would have spent 2 years in jail.

The State has lined up over 50 witnesses from Nigeria to appear in court in South Africa. Okah also plans to call over 100 witnesses in his defense.




http://mobile.saharareporters.com/news-page/“dieziani-allison-madueke-called-me-over-20-times-quest-become-minister-petroleum”-claims-

hmm. nigerians go dies finish.

Simply a theoory he believes might make sense to free him. Though this tale is far-fetched, I believe he is innocent

Hmmmmmm! Keep the drama coming!

OYA! Reuben Abati.. Over to you. **** grabs my pop-corn and coke***

Now, I don't know who to believe again. Nigeria, we hail thee!

.NET

Though we may say Okah is lying.
But Goodluck is not Innocent.
I was in Uganda when I read of the 1st Oct. 2010 bomb.
When MEND said they were behind the attack, Jonathan said NO, it is not MEND.
This episode substantiate a fact that Goodluck is an accomplice in that crime.
The main aim was to use that to nail some political opponent that are terrifying to him. It failed.
But He succeeded on the other hand in wining sympathy from from Nigerians. I am culpable because I voted him based on sympathy.
I know Nigerians mouth judges without facts.
But this man called Jonathan is a major suspect.

Due to the ineffectiveness of this government to arrest and name the sponsors of Bokoharam since our President claims to know them. I dont need this post to reach the conclusion that this Government is sponsoring Boko haram. Time 'll tell

Okah kept used the word "I believe" and "In my own opinion" . .meaning he is not even sure of what he is saying . . .next please . . .

The times of saying 'oh this guy is mad' is over! every finger points to Jonathan, cant you see he his not ready to face BH headon because an all out war will ruin him and bring out his sins?

GEJ,MEND,BOHO HARAM AND PDP THEY ARE ALL DODGE EVIL BLOOD SUCKERS ORGANISATION.

jmaine: Okah kept using the word "I believe" and "In my own opinion" . .meaning he is not even sure of what he is saying . . .next please . . .

So which grammar e suppose use? I think, I surmise, I know, I sooji

These are serious allegations................... well we are waiting with fingers crossed.

GEJ is it TRUE or FALSE?

lagerwhenindoubt:

So which grammar e suppose use? I think, I surmise, I know, I sooji

e be like say lol

babaowo: GEJ is it TRUE or FALSE?

Not true, GEJ could never have planned a bOmb to kill Nigerians. I am not a GEJ fan but even I know this

Although MEND and Boko haram are the same set of people playing politics with Nigerian lifes

hmmmmmmm

what will Jonathan Gain from bombing the nation? what his the motive? who will destroy his own house?