Aftershocks from last week’s deadly blasts in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, continued to reverberate on Tuesday as the shaken government pressed its search for the culprits.

Security police officers questioned the campaign director of President Goodluck Jonathan’s main political rival, the former military dictator Ibrahim Babangida, on Monday and again on Tuesday. At the same time Henry Okah, a militant closely tied to a rebel group in the oil-producing south, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, or MEND, was charged with terrorism-related offenses by South African prosecutors in connection with the bombings.

Four days after the explosions, everything connected to the two car bombs remained uncertain, except their effect on the government of Mr. Jonathan, which has staked its present and future on pacification of the country’s cash-cow region, the impoverished Niger Delta.

Facing an election next year, with the Delta issue certain to be prominent, Mr. Jonathan is reluctant to acknowledge the presence of a militant group there, much less one involved in terrorism. A native of the region, he quickly sought to separate long-festering grievances there from what he called “the wicked act of desperation by criminals” on Friday. But the government’s assertions were not a perfect fit with the facts trickling out before and after the blasts.

The exact death toll is unclear. The government says 12, but witnesses report considerably more, and the culprits are not known. The rebel group took responsibility for the bombings in e-mails to reporters, before and after they occurred, but the government says an “outside” terrorist group, aided by “unpatriotic elements” in Nigeria, was responsible, and not the Nigerian rebels. What role, if any, Mr. Okah played is unknown; he and MEND insist that he had none, and that he is not part of the group.

But prosecutors in South Africa, where he has been living after accepting a government offer of amnesty last year, say otherwise, as emerged in court in Johannesburg on Monday.

“The prosecution alleged in court this morning that MEND was responsible for the bombing attacks in Abuja and that Mr. Okah, as a senior official in MEND, was responsible for the planning and execution of those attacks,” said Mr. Okah’s South African lawyer, Rudi Krause. Mr. Okah was being held by South Africa on Tuesday awaiting further court appearances.

The prosecutors’ assertions put them at odds with the Nigerian government, which also continues to deny that the rebels had a role in the bombings or in militancy in general, or that Mr. Okah is a member of the group.

In the Niger Delta, activists expressed bafflement at the Nigerian government’s stance on the group, which they say has carried out bombings and attacks with abandon for much of the last half decade. The group portrays itself as championing a region that has seen very little benefit from its oil riches and remains severely underdeveloped. Attacks on oil company installations helped cut oil production by more than half from 2006 to 2009.

“As somebody working in the Niger Delta, MEND still exists and MEND still has a presence in the Niger Delta,” said Anyakwee Nsirimovu, executive director of the Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

“That’s not a difficult thing to prove,” he added. “I don’t know what the intention of the federal government is in saying MEND doesn’t exist. MEND does exist, there is no way you can wish that away.”

With the group off the table, at least in the government’s eyes, focus shifted to Mr. Babangida, a former general who ruled Nigeria with an iron hand in the 1980s and 1990s and who has emerged as a rival to Mr. Jonathan in the coming elections. The government summoned his campaign manager, Raymond Dokpesi, in connection with the bombings, according to the Babangida campaign, which reacted angrily. Nigerian news media reported Tuesday that the police had connected text messages on cellphones of the several suspects the government said it had taken into custody over the last four days, with Mr. Dokpesi.

“We can’t possibly know why they are going after him,” said Kassim Afegbua, a spokesman for Mr. Babangida. “We find it very curious. They are trying to give us a bad name, for political reasons. It’s purely political. MEND has said they did it, and so we don’t know why the president is saying they didn’t do it. We are quite shocked that they are trying to shift the blame.”

Now we know the following:
- Okah was right (it was the hope that he will act that made them do all the hasty tasks they did)
- The arrest of Dokpesi was a big blow (since Okah did not send the Vuvuzela from SA on behalf of MEND)
- Al Jazeera and other media are making it very difficult for the Govt to bend us into their curve of "truth".
- Within 18hrs we were told they knew who did it (but up till now, non is at hand)
- the current evidence (like that lousy SMS, SSS blaming the rain, MEND's several warnings, blaming opponents) all have not help matter.
- We have also observe that they are two MEND now - the real (with the Govt) and fake (with Okah)

Nigerians don't want this incident to be swept under the carpet like many other issues - Govt should make comprehensive investigation and Reality TV Show we saw the other day on NTA tagged "its not MEND"

so sad

The problem we have here is that we are too impatient. How many days did it take before the US with the almighty CIA find 9/11 bombers? Better to find the right bombers than to rush things.

invisible!:

The problem we have here is that we are too impatient. How many days did it take before the US with the almighty CIA find 9/11 bombers? Better to find the right bombers than to rush things.

Well said. And it's not like a robbery incident where you even get the chance of seeing the culprit. What do people take crime investigation for? Posting on Nairaland? Haba!

Halliburton case is still there dem never solve that one and you hoping they will solve a more recent case - You must be joking.

@ OP
Quit being silly,you think solving terror cases are as simple as going to iya basira's to buy ewa agoin?

Has Osama Bin Laden been arrested 8yrs after the twin tower attacks?

You think its that easy to just pick them up?

blacksta:

Halliburton case is still there dem never solve that one and you hoping they will solve a more recent case - You must be joking.

rasputinn:

@ OP
Quit being silly,you think solving terror cases are as simple as going to iya basira's to buy ewa agoin?

dappssee:

Has Osama Bin Laden been arrested 8yrs after the twin tower attacks?

You think its that easy to just pick them up?

Who are you guys deceiving?
- Was it not Mr. President himself that told us the perpetrators have been found?
- Did they not arrest Dokpesi in hope Okah will side them?
- Is it not Mr. President that absorb and defended MEND less than 18hrs after the blast?

So if he knows, the question is why is it that till now they don't have even a clue? I believe he will not see any until he start having an open mind in his investigations (instead of blaming his opponents and keep militants in the Villa)

BJmighty,
Why don't you go and find them yourself? I'm sure its too easy.

OP

Will the world collapse if you help the govt to arrest them?

rasputinn:

@ OP
Quit being silly,you think solving terror cases are as simple as going to iya basira's to buy ewa agoin?

You need reduce ur Iya Basira ewa agoin consumption. E don dey affect u small small

udezue:

BJmighty,
Why don't you go and find them yourself? I'm sure its too easy.

Its not my job. The last time i checked, Thats why we have Police, MOPOL, SSS, CID, INTERPOL, RSS. OPC Bakassi Vigilante Baba olode E.T.C

Ask America why they can not arrest OSAMA since you were BORN

seanet02:

Ask America why they can not arrest OSAMA since you were BORN

Why haven't u been able to capture the fat rat that has been terrorizing your kitchen everyday

Poster, since you want to become a detective, why dont you go and find the culprit(s)?

Stu pid thread.

Ileke-IdI:

Poster, since you want to become a detective, why dont you go and find the culprit(s)?

Stu pid thread.

Its not my job. The last time i checked, Thats why we have Police, MOPOL, SSS, CID, INTERPOL, RSS. OPC Bakassi Vigilante Baba olode E.T.C

Igwe.:

[color=#006600]yeye people, 9 people were mentioned including the suspects and you people were of another opinions. when he said it wasn't MEND you said his reaction was rather too quick, now security agency is taking their time to gather more evidence, you guys are complaining.
do you all think govt is intersted in you guys foolishness?

Sorry bros, oya go drink ice water.

I think the bomber were wrong. But here is the issue, the igbos have seen the picture satellite and igbos have already ben arrested, so you know, from this point we need to do something.

Igwe.:

yeye people, 9 people were mentioned including the suspects and you people were of another opinions. when he said it wasn't MEND you said his reaction was rather too quick, now security agency is taking their time to gather more evidence, you guys are complaining.
do you all think govt is intersted in you guys foolishness?

I thot these 9 guys have been released. So we are back to square-one!

GAR3TH:

Big shame, 6 days, gov cant find bombing 9 years best military on earth still cant find Osama bin laden.

Whats your point, edit could see someone already stated it above.

Dude is a dumb azz. . . . he should spend more time locating the $14k his gf stole from a NLer. awon ole oshi

Ileke-IdI:

Dude is a dumb azz. . . . he should spend more time locating the $14k his gf stole from a NLer. awon ole oshi

i have been waiting for this - the prodigal rejects have returned to their own vomit. thugulator innahouse

oyb:


i have been waiting for this - the prodigal rejects have returned to their own vomit. thugulator innahouse

That fat bytch is under her BrwnSuga ID.

Anywaz @ topix. . . . still makes no darn sense.

Ileke-IdI:

That fat bytch is under her BrwnSuga ID.

Anywaz @ topix. . . . still makes no darn sense.

I didn't know you can still curse profusely. I thought you left that behind with FLgators.

Onlytruth:



I didn't know you can still curse profusely. I thought you left that behind with FLgators.

I did. . . . for you. Until you changed on me recently

Ileke-IdI:

I did. . . . for you. Until you changed on me recently

I don't change.

I still would defend you when attacked unnecessarily by morons on this site. So, help me by staying away from curses. It is unladylike

Onlytruth:

I don't change.

I still would defend you when attacked unnecessarily by morons on this site. So, help me by staying away from curses. It is unladylike

So you were just hiding your spots from me, you didnt change them?

LOL Ok, your wish is my command. Done

@poster. who told u the culprits are unknown?? they are well known, cant you see them in the Aso rock cheering with thiere member. You see this is what PDP will continue giving to Nigerians, inviting hoodlums to the villa after successeful crime. Nigerians should please lets change our fate, this party if not God providence, they dont have anything good to offer to us. the most corrupt people are PDP, homosexuals are PDP, thiefs are PDP, Mend are PDP, Boko HARAM are PDP, kidnappers are PDP, waec and neco massive failure etc. when are we going to be wise??

Abu-Maryam:

@poster. who told u the culprits are unknown?? they are well known, cant you see them in the Aso rock cheering with thiere member. You see this is what PDP will continue giving to Nigerians, inviting hoodlums to the villa after successeful crime. Nigerians should please lets change our fate, this party if not God providence, they dont have anything good to offer to us. the most corrupt people are PDP, homosexuals are PDP, thiefs are PDP, Mend are PDP, Boko HARAM are PDP, kidnappers are PDP, waec and neco massive failure etc. when are we going to be wise??

If our votes are counted, PDP will lose. Your Our efforts should be on ensuring that our votes count. PDP is not a popular party in Nigeria. If they don't steal our votes, they will lose.

see https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-527450.0.html to join campaign against IBB