JOHANNESBURG – A South Africa-based Nigerian ex-militant leader was directly involved in deadly bombings that struck his homeland's capital during independence celebrations, according to South African prosecutors who charged him with terrorism Monday.

At a court hearing in Johannesburg, prosecutor Shaun Abrahams said Henry Okah was a senior member of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, which claimed responsibility for a dual car bombing that killed at least 12 people in Nigeria's capital Abuja on Friday. Lawyers for Okah, who has been living in Johannesburg since 2009, say he has denied any involvement and that they would argue his arrest was unlawful. Okah made no comment at Monday's hearings. His lawyers said he feared for his life in a central Johannesburg jail, worried another prisoner might try to gain notoriety by attacking him. The judge said Monday arrangements had been made to hold Okah in a private cell Monday night, and that he would rule Tuesday on whether to move the suspect to a jail Okah considered more secure.

Abrahams presented a charge sheet accusing Okah of breaking South African counterterrorism laws by participating in the bombings. "We will be interacting and have been interacting with Nigerian authorities," Abrahams told the court. Chris Iroala, who identified himself as an official at the Nigerian consulate in Johannesburg, was in court Monday, often standing at the prosecutor's side. Iroala refused to comment on the case.

In Nigeria Monday, a security agency spokeswoman said nine people linked to Okah had been arrested there. The spokeswoman, Marilyn Ogar, would not name the suspects.
Sunday, Nigeria's federal police force named two men — Ben Jessy and Chima Orlu — as the attacks' "masterminds." Federal police spokesman Emmanuel Ojukwu offered no further details about the two Nigerian men, other than warning the public it would be a crime to harbor them.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, also known by the acronym MEND, has destroyed oil pipelines, kidnapped petroleum company workers and fought government troops since 2006. It accuses Nigeria's government for doing nothing to end poverty in the delta even as the nation receives billions of dollars from oil revenue.

Okah has not recently been seen as a key figure in MEND. In 2008, he was arrested in Angola and extradited to Nigeria, where he was accused of treason and terrorism and linked to a gunrunning scandal involving high-ranking military officials. During his trial, word he was suffering from a kidney ailment emerged.
Charges were dropped and he was granted amnesty and freed in July 2009 as part of an initiative the government had hoped would end unrest in the oil-rich Niger Delta. But a cease-fire quickly unraveled.

About an hour before Friday's attacks, MEND issued a warning to journalists telling people to stay away from festivities at Eagle Square in Abuja marking Nigeria's 50th anniversary of independence from Britain. One car bomb exploded, drawing police, firefighters and the curious to the street near a federal courthouse. Five minutes later, a second car bomb exploded, apparently intended to target those drawn to the scene.
A third, smaller explosion struck inside Eagle Square during the ceremony, apparently injuring one security officer. However, MEND has denied placing any explosives inside the venue. Nigeria's president, though, has blamed a "small terrorist group that resides outside Nigeria" for the bombings. A statement from his office Sunday night quoted Jonathan as saying "investigations show that members of MEND have said they know nothing about" claiming responsibility for the attacks. However, it offered no other details. The attack Friday marked the first time MEND targeted Nigeria's capital.
___
Associated Press Writer Bashir Adigun contributed to this report from Abuja, Nigeria

IN THE PICTURE: Henry Okah, a Nigerian ex-militant leader seeks cover on the back seat of a vehicle as he leaves the court in Johannesburg

Nigeria Judicial authority better learn from SA. He was arrested and tried immediately, no delay, no go slow.

bjmighty:

Nigeria Judicial authority better learn from SA. He was arrested and tried immediately, no delay, no go slow.

My friend , he has not been "tried immediately" nor has he been found gulity of anything and I would advise you to change the title of your thread. He has merely been charged with an offence. The Next hearing is Oct 14. Naturally , no bail was granted as is usually the case with acts of terrorism and Okah was remanded into custody till the next court date . I expect Okah to enter a plea of not guilty after which there will be a trial.

And the war drum is sounding seriously.I wonder where this approach has ever worked in the world.They want to arm Ateke,Tompolo et al to fight Okah's men.It is a hahahahaha situation.My passport needs to be stamped fast fast.

Abagworo:

And the war drum is sounding seriously.I wonder where this approach has ever worked in the world.They want to arm Ateke,Tompolo et al to fight Okah's men.It is a hahahahaha situation.My passport needs to be stamped fast fast.

Okah is ex-MEND, others are running that show now. He began losing influence when he was incarcerated and finally abondoned all for exile in SA.

Okah has not recently been seen as a key figure in MEND

Okah has no men, except a straggler or two (with funny names like Ben Jessy - likely picked up during periods in foreign climes).

Beaf:

Okah is ex-MEND, others are running that show now. He began losing influence when he was incarcerated and finally abondoned all for exile in SA.

Okah has no men, except a straggler or two (with funny names like[b] Ben Jessy - likely picked up during periods in foreign climes).

[/b]



But guy you have to agree that lot of niger delat peeps anser some weird foregn names.

So, is this still on with the [size=13pt]REAL MEND/ FAKE MEND [/size] crap??  Or have we come back down from the twilight zone and embraced the fact that MEND is MEND . . .  ROFLMAO!!

Beaf:

Okah is ex-MEND, others are running that show now. He began losing influence when he was incarcerated and finally abondoned all for exile in SA.

Okah has no men, except a straggler or two (with funny names like Ben Jessy - likely picked up during periods in foreign climes).

@beaf.Stop being unrealistic.I am very optimistic that both of us will be alive when the next bombing or high profile assasination will strike Nigeria.It will be wise to settle things amicably.To be fore warned is to be fore armed.

Stop crucifying okah, IBB introduced Bomb politics into Nigeria, bombing only occurred during his regime and ever since, we have not heard so, now why did he run away from
EAGLE SQUARE?

whooooooooooooo killledddddddddddddd DELE GIWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ,

I GUESS THAT WAS MEND's tutor

@Gbawe, please don't prove to us that u r a lawyer just contribute.At least u know what he was talking about. "tried immediately and charge immediately means samething to an average thinking man."
Ok, let help him, he was taken to court imeediately.
I know one english person go come now come say no be immediately again because it took 2days. Lollllllllllllllllllllllll

No comment !!!

segan:

whooooooooooooo killledddddddddddddd DELE  GIWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ,

I GUESS THAT WAS MEND's tutor

WHY IS IT THAT NOBODY WANTS TO ALSO ASK OBASANJO WHO KILLED BOLA IGE, HARRY MARSHALL, CHUBA OKADIGBO AND FELAS MOTHER DURING OBASANJOS FIRST TENURE 8 WONDERS SHALL NEVER END

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I just pray that the perpetrators of this dastardly act will be brought to book, at least to act as a deterrent to those who may want to engage in this unpatriotic act in future. Please permit me to use this opportunity to ask the administrator to help me with where to make a new post as I could not find it in the forum. I have only been replying to other postings.

gzib:

@Gbawe, please don't prove to us that u r a lawyer just contribute.At least u know what he was talking about. "tried immediately and charge immediately means samething to an average thinking man."
Ok, let help him, he was taken to court imeediately.
I know one english person go come now come say no be immediately again because it took 2days. Lollllllllllllllllllllllll

The initial thread title was something along the lines of "Okah found guilty in South Africa"   He only changed the title after my response . There is no erroneous use of words as you think . The OP actually meant that Okah was found guilty after an "immediate" trial.

where is GEJ to state okah's case?

i hear he is d chief defence witness 4 okah & MEND, since he's made official statment absolving them of involvement.

He(GEJ) has also pointed accusing finger at "small terrorist group that resides outside Nigeria". i keep wondering: is

dat d name of a group or someperson??

since he(GEJ) knows them (terrorists) well enough to describe as "small terrorist group outside 9ja" he sholud also

provide us wit at least d group's name & it's leader's name.

Have you guys heard?

DOKPESI arrested and detained without charges

NTA News said, they found some text messages relating to DOKPESI involvement in the OCTOBER first bomb blast. They read the content of the message on air and I smell a lot of phishing.

What is the nation turning into?

God help Nigeria!

seanet02:

Stop crucifying okah, IBB introduced Bomb politics into Nigeria, bombing only occurred during his regime and ever since, we have not heard so, now why did he run away from
EAGLE SQUARE?

Do you not remember the countless bomb blasts during Abacha reign
And the bomb blasts during PDP primaries
Do you remember the destruction of Atlas Cove by MEND on the day Okah was released
Do you remember the 2 car bombs at Warri in March this year. Those were similar to what happened at Abuja on Friday

anyway, some history
May 31, 1995: Ilorin Stadium. Just before launch of Family Support Programme.

January 18, 1996: Durbar Hotel, Kaduna. Suspected bomber killed. Said to have bought a copy of Wole Soyinka's book prior to blast.

January 20, 1996: Aminu Kano Int'l Airport, Kano.

April 11, 1996: Ikeja Cantonment, Lagos.

April 25, 1996: Airforce Base, Ikeja.

November 14, 1996: Murtala Mohammed Airport. Claimed the life of the Chief Security Officer.

December 16, 1996: Bomb blast rocked Colonel Marwa's convoy.

December 18, 1996: Bus belonging to Lagos State Task Force on environmental Sanitation hit.

January 17, 1997: Bus belonging to Nigerian army hit.

April 22, 1997: Blast in Evans square claims 3 lives, injures several.

December 13, 1997: Lt_Gen Oladipo Diya escapes death at Abuja airport.

May 12, 1997: Ibadan gets its first dose in front of Federal Min. of Works and Housing at Eleyele Road, near Jericho Hospital.

January 27, 2002: Bombs stored at Ikeja cantonment explode leading the death of over 1000 Lagosians fleeing in fear.

dokpesi, ibb campaign manager arrested over bomb plot.top security sources

firmi:

dokpesi, ibb campaign manager arrested over bomb plot.top security sources

Channels Tv confirmed it

:-x :-x :-x

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I was right when i said IBB is responsible for this dastardly act hence his absence which is an insult to us for ruling us for 8 terrible years as a serial liar. Not minding his previous bombings of C-130 plane of soldiers, Dele giwa, car of judge calling for his trial e.t.c.; he did not even have the audacity to attest to the truth that Abacha had a power sharing agreement with him and thus all his pretence of elections et al was a mere sham.

This man IBB is a beast and a vote for IBB is a vote for a life time president of evil. Thank God for His intervention that this man acted stupidly; now at least he can be tied to the stakes and shot as an enemy of the state. I wish Maryam was alive to warn him against this terrible act. The man is going senile.


It is not a conspiracy theory, IBB is and will forever be a serial MURDERER.

One thing is good : For first time in a decade, a crime was committed, arrest was (or were) made almost immediately. If only such can be said of numerous the unresolved cases of assassinations in the recent past

Tele-evil _away from home

The drama is unfolding.

Na waoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo