Jonathan Offers to Negotiate with Bomber Henry Okah

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Mr. Henry Okah

President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed the readiness of his administration to hold talks with a leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), who is also responsible for twin bombings that rocked the 2010 october independence celebrtion. Mr. Henry Okah, who is now on trial in a South African court for terrorism.

According to a report in The Guardian of London Wednesday, Niger Delta Minister, Chief Godsday Orubebe, told the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday that despite the grievous harm that the October 1, 2010, twin bombings caused to families of the victims, dialogue with members of the warring factions has proved the best strategy in restoring peace to the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

In another trial in Nigeria, a suspect in the twin bombings that rocked the 2010 independence anniversary celebration, Edmund Ewibare, told Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja that Okah threatened to kill him.
Continuing his testimony as a prosecution witness in Okah’s trial in South Africa, Orubebe told the court that the president was ready to hold dialogue with Okah in order to sustain the peace in the oil-rich region.

He said: “Throughout his tenure, (Jonathan) has always preached about the use of dialogue as a better way of getting to mutual consensus on contentious matters. If the accused is ready for dialogue, we would be very pleased to bring him on board.” 

Okah, who is facing terrorism charges, is accused of masterminding the October 2010 bombings that led to the death of 12 people and injured 36 more in Abuja.

He has been in custody since his arrest on October 2, 2010, with courts turning down all his bail applications.

Defence lawyers denied Okah’s involvement in the fatal bombings, and accused the Federal Government of fabricating charges against the MEND leader and conniving with the South African government to deny him bail on allegations that he would continue to destabilise the Niger Delta on his release.

Culled from Thisday newspapers