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Tension in Niger Delta over treason charge against MEND leaders
There are growing indications that violence may escalate in the Niger Delta region following the charging of the leaders of Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND, Mr. Henry Okah and Mr. Edward Atatah for treason by the Federal Government last week. MEND had penultimate week threatened to cause mayhem in the oil producing region unless Mr. Okah is shown to the public to confirm that he is alive and well in order to dispel the rumour that he may have been tortured in the course of his interrogation by security agents.
The government position that the allegation of torture was untrue was not helped by their failure to produce him in court even as the charges against them were read out at a Federal High Court Abuja. According to the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Alhaji Salihu Aliyu, “it is up to the court to order a defendant be produced.”
In anticipation of the feared escalation of violence in the Niger Delta Presidency sources said Federal Government is planning to deploy more security agents including the military to reinforce those already existing there. The fear in government is that MEND has the capacity to disrupt oil exploration and exploitation in the region based on its antecedent.
In 2006 MEND gave an indication of what should be expected in the next few months when it successfully disrupted oil production in the Niger Delta through a well coordinated violence and kidnapping of foreign oil workers in order to facilitate the release one of their own Alhaji Asari Dokubo who was tend under the custody of the Federal Government facing charges of treason because of his alleged militant activities in the region.
MEND was so successful in disrupting oil production within the period that the country find it difficult meeting up with its quota production as allocated to it by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC.
This development had negative consequence for the World economy as a result a lot of pressures was exerted on the then president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo by the United States to seek a political solution to the agitation by MEND and others for the unconditional release of Asari. With Washington breathing down hard on his neck the former president who until then had discountenanced the idea of a political settlement eventually settled for it and Asari was set free with a mere slap on the wrist.
As the oil price in the world market are hovering between $100 and $105 dollars a barrel nobody needs any disruption in supply from any quarters. As a matter of fact last week the United States pressured OPEC to increase its supply quota to its members in order to halt the escalating price of oil in the world market. It was a pressure that OPEC refused to yield and the consequence was that last week the price of reach an all time high of $105.1 dollars a barrel in New York at a time the US economy is tittering toward recession that could have dire consequences for the world economy.
Given the above scenario the charging of the duo of Okah and Atatah at this time could put the government of President Yar’Adua into a lot of pressure by the oil consuming world if MEND carries out its threat to unleash “anarchy” in the Niger Delta.
The detained leaders of MEND, Henry Okah and Edward Atatah were accused of terrorism, illegal importation of firearms and gun running.
The accused were alleged to have attempted various attacks against the country with a view to intimidating President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Salihu Aliyu of the DPP said the Federal Government had proofs against the accused.
At the Federal High Court, Abuja where the charges were filed, it was revealed that Okah was charged in absentia last year with treason and other offences.
The defence was handed a copy of the 14 charges made against Okah in December, after his arrest in Angola before he was extradited to the country. If found guilty, Okah faces the death penalty.
According to the charge, Okah and Atatah who are 42 and 43 respectively in September 2007 travelled from Nigeria to Luanda, Angola to buy shipping vessel worth USD670,000 to be used to transport arms to militants in the oil rich Niger Delta.
Federal Government argued that the offences contravened Section 41 of the Criminal Code Act, CPA, Cap 77 laws of the federation of Nigeria 1999 and punishable under Section 41.
The accused were said to have sold and provided 250,000 assault riffles, general-purpose machine guns, rocket propelled launchers /canisters, bazookas and assorted ammunitions to armed groups such as the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Icelandic Cult and the MEND to levy war against the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Yenegoa, Port Harcourt, Delta and other places contrary to section 37(1) of the CPA.
Besides, the accused were said to have sold to the leadership of some militant groups ammunition worth N11.3 million being prohibited and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 3(14)(a) (i) of the special; tribunal (Miscellaneous offences) Act Cap 410 LFN 1990 and punishable under same.
According to the Federal Government, they sold arms worth N6.9 million and Forced 50 AK 47s, 10 general purpose machine guns and 10 crates of ammunition worth N22 million to NDPVF in December 2003.
Prosecution further argued that the offences contravened section 3(14) (a) (i) of the special tribunal (Miscellaneous Offences) Act.
They were also said to have been in possession of five general purpose machine guns, sub-machine guns, one AK47, 15 single barreled riffle, one air rifle, 1,860 assorted live ammunitions, I plastic explosive device,
48 pairs of handcuffs, 10 teargas canisters, 2 ammunition belts, 16 armoured plates for bullet proof vests and twenty holster, being fire arms and ammunitions and other items prohibited by law.
They were accused of being “in possession of and control of without valid silence, 14 military assault riffles, 1 revolver piston, 15.4mm live ammunition, 18 aluminum arm store seals, 13 rocket launchers carriers cases and 16 riffle sling being firearms and ammunition and other items prohibited from unlawful possess and importation.”
Aliyu said the accused would be arraigned once the court assigns date for the hearing.
He said the accused risk death sentence if convicted by the court.
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