Henry Okah, remember him? The man accused of supervising Independence
Day bombing from South Africa has prepared an affidavit in which he claims the
president, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan through his operatives had asked him to
carry out the dastardly act that claimed 10 lives. Okar also says he was asked to lay the blame on
the door steps of fundamentalists in the north. According to the terrorist
suspect whose trial is scheduled to commence October this year, the motive of
the president was to demonize his opponents and buy sympathy for himself in
readiness for the 2011 general elections.
At the time of the Independence Day Bombing, Nigerians
had been led to believe that former military president Gen. Ibrahim Babangida
was responsible. A certain media proprietor was also fingered for his alleged
involvement in paying the bombers. Indeed, Nigerians bought into believing that
the president was being attacked by enemies from the north who were desperate
to see him leave office by not contesting. Henry Okah’s submission should not
be dismissed by a wave of the hand as another distraction and here’s why:
A Nigerian Army Intelligence Corp report into the gun
running activities of Sunny Okah, (member of the MEND and brother to the suspect
in South Africa) revealed at the time among other things that some senior
politicians including a James Ibori, Delta State governor, Dipriye
Alamieyeseigha, Bayelsa State governor were involved in purchase of arms stolen
from the Nigerian Army and handed over to the Niger Delta militants (MEND to be
exact). The report did not directly implicate the president because at the time
of its release, GEJ had become vice president, but it is wise to note that the
illegal activity did continue even up to the time of Goodluck’s duration in
office as Bayelsa governor. The report recommended the sack of Gen. O. Azazi
present National Security Adviser for his failure as GOC Kaduna Military Depot.
It should not take an oracle to see the complicity there. Gen. Azazi was
brought back into office (a sensitive one for his role in arming the Niger
Delta militants).
It is obvious that there was a relationship between south-south
governors of Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states where they funded the purchase of
arms from the Nigerian Army with which they provided their private militia,
MEND. It is not strange now that Henry Okah who incidentally also claimed in
this new affidavit of his that present petroleum minister Ms. Diezani Alison
Madueke called him a record 20 times. One of the reasons for the calls was for
Henry Okah to say some good words into the ear of the president to enable her
get the post of the minister of petroleum resources. Such is the level of
leadership Nigerians are burdened with; men who enjoy dinners and handshakes
with criminals here and then smile to the electorate and public elsewhere.
While, we are not concluding that Henry Okah is not
making desperate attempts to free himself or to drag the president down with
him, it is imperative to note that there was a relationship between the duo; a
criminal and a politician. With revelations like these, it sad to say that Nigeria
is burdened with hypocritical leadership. Sunny Okah the erstwhile gun runner is
presently serving the Jonathan administration. He is helping with the
prosecution of his brother. This is not new. A few informed persons were aware
in 2010 and some others in 2007 when the report was released. Sadly, the man
who should have done something about it did nothing.
With bombs, going off here and there, and persons guilty
only of innocence meeting their deaths at the hands of the Boko Haram, we
should not find it hard to conclude that some other arms must have found their
way to the Islamic sect via the same route: corruption. When justice is denied,
there is no deterrence to future acts of similar crime; rather persons with
similar intents are emboldened to act even brazenly. What is good for MEND is
good also for Boko Haram!
Nigerians made a horrible mistake on April 16 2011 by
electing Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Henry Okah’s revelation is probably a last
resort but the sense in it is immediately unseen. While the drama called
Nigeria continues to reveal many intrigues, the people continue to siddon look
and hope that someday e go beta.
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