MEND leader, Okah freed

The detained leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Henry Okah was released from jail on Monday, after the Nigerian government withdrew its case against him.

“Having reviewed what the Attorney General said, you have become a free man at this moment. You are now discharged,” said Mohammed Liman, the presiding Federal High Court judge at the trial of Mr Okah at Monday’s session in Jos.

Nigerian’s President, Umaru Yar’Adua agreed to drop felony charges against Mr. Okah after the militant leader accepted the government’s “unconditional” amnesty.

Mr. Okah was arrested on September 03 2007 by Angolan authorities, on charges of arms trafficking, and extradited to Nigeria to face charges. He has been in detention since then, amid reports of his deteriorating health.

Mr Okah’s wife, Azuka Okah, said that at the time of the arrest, her husband was in Angola to inspect a ship he was hoping to buy “and was on his way back to South Africa when he was arrested.”

Mr. Okah heads a faction of MEND that has been attacking various oil installations across Nigeria.

MEND has being responsible for various attacks on oil companies’ facilities in the Niger Delta creeks and this has been a resultant factor in the oscillation of the global price of crude oil in the world market.

Earlier on Monday, MEND had made its first attack in the commercial city of Lagos. According to a release from the militant group, it attacked the Atlas Jetty Cove on Sunday.

Despite ongoing negotiations between the lawyers of the detained militant and the Federal Government on his release, MEND stated that the groups’ “two-pronged approach of combining dialogue and intensifying attacks throughout the course of negotiations, will be the unique characteristics of Moses.”

MEND said a team will be put together after his release to discuss with the Federal Government, with support from international bodies.

“The Aaron team that will be put together after due consultations with stakeholders from around the globe, militant commanders and Henry Okah will present the time framed demands of the Niger Delta region to the President, through the Timi Alaibe- led Federal Government of Nigeria delegation,” a MEND statement said.