Niger police arrest 5 suspected Boko Haram members

Boko-Haram leaders

Niger Republic has arrested five people near the Nigerian border suspected of belonging to the militant Nigerian Islamist group, Boko Haram, Niger security officials said on Tuesday.

The group has been blamed for more than 1,000 deaths in Nigeria since 2010. Observers said the suspects are using Niger as a transit route to link up with other militant groups like al-Qaeda in the Islamic Magreb, now controlling Northern Mali.

“State Security Police arrested the five suspected Boko Haram members who entered Niger on Sunday through the Zinder region. They have been transferred to Niamey for further questioning,” a security official said, asking not to be named told Reuters.

Another security official said Niger had tightened security along its border with Nigeria as the country intensifies its fight against the militant group, which wants to carve out an Islamic state in Northern Nigeria.

Nigeria’s military had announced the death of 35 members of Boko Haram and arrested several during an overnight gun battle in Damaturu, capital of North Eastern Yobe state which borders Niger.

Okagbare fails, Nigeria’s dream crashes

Okagbare`s best was not enough

Shelly- Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica last night defended her 100m Olympics title with an astonishing 10.75secs as Blessing Okagbare of Nigeria finished last with 11.01secs in a star-studded final at a packed Olympic Stadium in London.

With high hopes that she was going to get Nigeria’s first medal at the Games,, Okagbare, who ran a personal best of 10.92 in the semifinals held earlier on, failed when it mattered most against her impressive competitors.Cameliter Jeter of US finished second in a time of 10.78, representing a second best while another Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica clocked 10.81 to claim the bronze.

At the mixed zone, Okagbare, who cast doubts over her 100m race, did not talk to the media but said that her legs were paining her as she walked past. She started showing signs of this in her semifinal race  which started on a slow pace but recovered to win. But in the final race, her poor start was well exploited by her rivals who left her reeling in the last place

       

Nigeria’s lost of athletes blamed on poor training facilities

Pastor Enoch Adeboye:Party to Habib’s success story in England.

Abuja – Makanjuola Nureni, a FIFA Player’s Agent, on Thursday said that Nigeria was losing its athletes, especially footballers, to other countries due to poor training facilities.

Nureni made the observation in Abuja while speaking to newsmen at the unveiling of 13-year-old Makanjuola Habib, a National U-13 player with Chelsea FC of England Academy.

The FIFA Player’s agent said Habib, who is one of the two Nigerian wiz-kids in the academy, signed for the academy because of poor football development structures in the country.

He claimed that the country was losing its athletes because the government was paying more attention to politics rather than concentrating on harnessing the country’s abundant talents.

Nureni said that Pastor Enoch Adeboye was party to Habib’s success story in England.

“Habib performed at the Redeemed Christian Church of God Redemption Camp in 2010 and he won a scholarship to England from the General Overseer,’’ he said.

He noted that top European clubs like Barcelona, Lyon, Manchester City and Arsenal had made efforts to sign on Habib, but he (Habib) preferred Chelsea because of the facilities they have on ground.

Habib,who was grabbed by Chelsea in April, said the love he has for Michael Emenalo, Chelsea’s Technical Director, also influenced his decision to sign for the club’s academy.

He told NAN that the academy had created the platform for him “to excel and become a world class player in the near future’’.

“I am with the Cambry School in London and my club allows me the time to attend classes and my school gives me time to train with my club,’’ Habib explained.

Habib’s father, Makanjuola Adegboye was elated about his son’s success, saying that his son’s progression in life was a sign of good upbringing.

“I don’t have much to say. I will only be remembering him in my prayers and I thank our daddy who made his journey to London possible,’’ Adegboye said.

Habib nicknamed “football wizard’’, won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award at the 2009 U-13 International Football Tournament in the United Arab Emirate (UAE).

He is also the first Nigerian to participate in the World Final Juggling Tournament in South Africa in 2010. (NAN)

 

DAY AFTER MAKOKO & ABONEMA: Frustration of a homeless nation

Makoko destroyed

THE recent demolition of shanties constructed at Makoko and Abonema waterfronts in Rivers and Lagos States respectively, has once again brought the age-long housing crisis in Nigeria to fore.

NOTICE is hereby given to you to vacate and remove all illegal developments along the Makoko/Iwaya Waterfront within 72 hour, their unwholesome structures on the waterfront amounted to an environmental nuisance” said a letter from the Lagos State ministry of Waterfront, Infrastructure and Development.

It was upon this premise that Lagos State government, sent truckloads of armed soldiers and police officers to invade the Makoko/Ilaje waterfront at Yaba to effect government order that the residents vacate the area which had been marked for demolition. It was gathered that security operatives had stormed the area at noon and consequently demolished houses, shanties, schools and shops built in the densely populated area.

No fewer than 5000 people were said to have been rendered homeless as a result of the demolition which spared no one. Justifying the action, the state Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Adesegun Oniru, said the demolition of shanties was part of pragmatic ways to forestall tragedy. Residents in the area who built shanties close to a power-line situated on the lagoon, had lost their homes following the exercise.

Oniru who said the exercise was a clearing of the waterfront and not demolition, explained that attempt by government to delay because of sentiment would be inviting future calamity.   He said: “There are people living under a power-line in that area. The water level is also rising rapidly, but the people ignored this and instead continued building more shanties up to the Third Mainland Bridge. Is that a place people should reside? It is not a good sight for anybody to see and beyond that the issue of safety is more of concern to us.

“What we are doing is to clear the environment of the danger that is looming in that area. We moved in to protect the lives of the people on that waterfront. We met the traditional rulers in the area after which we held discussions with the Local Council Development Area. These people helped us to advise the residents to quit the water.”  The commissioner urged the displaced people to go back to where they came from, saying government had no intention of allowing them to come back.

Abonema and Njemanze waterfront: Since this action was taken, the state government has received more knocks than kudos from various sections of the public. As it was in Lagos, so was it in Port-Hacourt where the Rivers State government had on July 26, demolished  Abonnema Wharf waterfront, thereby leaving thousands of residents homeless. The exercise which reportedly started on June 26, lasted for days, as residents were taken unaware as many people were said to have lost their property in the process.

Demolition of water fronts

Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi had always maintained government’s stance on the demolition of waterfronts in different parts of the state during his media interactive sessions.  He explained that most of the crimes committed were carried out by hoodlums who reside at the waterfronts, a development, he added, must be tackled headlong in order to ensure the safety of lives and property in the state.

Earlier, the State Government had undertaken a similar exercise at Njemanze waterfront which it claimed to be a hideout of criminals.  In all these, government has said it will pay compensation to owners of demolished buildings. But in the case of Abonnema Wharf, some of the house owners have protested over the compensation, claiming that it was inadequate.  According to the Public Relations Officer of Abonnema Wharf Landlords Association, Jim Tom-George, some of them were paid N40, 000; N60, 000 and N1.2million respectively for five to 10 rooms while describing the development as ridiculous.

But defending the action, the State Commissioner for Urban Development and Town Planning, Dr. T.W Dangogo, noted that the residents were given one year to move out in 2010, adding that the time had elapsed. He stated that property owners would be compensated, saying that the demolition was informed by security reports about the area.

Security reports

“Over the years, we have told landlords that the areas would be demolished and compensation paid. We asked that tenants should no longer pay rents. That place became a jungle because no one was paying rent to anyone. The rate of crime and need for urban renewal accounted for why the place was demolished.”

Housing crisis: Despite this explanation by both state governments, there is anger in the land over the manner people are displaced by some state governments, in the face of acute housing crises in the country. For the Publicity Secretary of Lagos State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Taofik Gani, that the eviction and demolition exercise was more of destruction than correction.

“It lacked human feelings and indeed violates human rights. The Lagos State government’s decision to evict the Makoko residents from their abode and occupation is very callous, especially at this time of heavy rainfalls. The residents are now helpless with no alternative accommodation provided by the state government, thus confirming the insensitivity of the government in its policies.”

Tofik’s anger, however, has the support of Human Rights treatise like the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, ICESCR, the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, ICCPR, which prohibited countries from forced evictions. Accordingly, under the international convention, human rights law evictions may be carried out only as a last resort, once all other feasible alternatives have been explored and genuine consultation has taken place with communities, and only after appropriate procedural and legal safeguards are in place.

Nevertheless, the issue has once again brought to fore the agelong housing crisis in Nigeria. Instructively, housing provision in the country is fraught with a plethora of problems especially for low-income earners who incidentally constitute the majority of the population. Findings by our source  also discovered that housing is generally inadequate in the rural areas in terms of quality, while the major problem in urban areas is more of quantity, although quantity is also an issue.

While there had been Housing policies like the 1991 Housing Policy, Urban Development Policy initiated in 1997 among others to address the abnormally,  a large chunk of the nation’s population have been battling with inadequate housing.

Inadequate housing

Speaking on the matter, the President of Nigeria Institute of Building, NIOB, Mr. Chuks Omeife, said: “given the fact that we are not trying to re-invent the wheel, this is something that has become a tradition in other countries. In the developed economies, the process of housing provision is standardised just like buying a cell phone SIM card though with obvious conditions attached. I do not see any reason why the policy cannot be implemented as proposed, the major challenges that past policies have had to contend with are lack of  political will and insincerity of purpose on the part of government and government functionaries.

If government can commence in earnest  the process of institutional, administrative, legal and regulatory reforms then the journey would have started. Issues relating to land use act, ease of access to finance, viability of financing institutions must be tidied up quickly and laid to rest. It is after all this and some other things have commence that we can start trusting that government is sincere about the laudable intentions in the housing policy.”

New housing policy: He, however, stated that the new National Housing Policy, which is targeting the provision of one million houses per year, would go a long way in addressing the housing crisis in the country. “That the policy addresses the process of how Nigerians are going to be housed is not again in doubt. The policy like I have said severally is very robust and if implemented to the letter as conceptualised would jumpstart the long awaited transformation in the housing sector.

The housing policy clearly articulates how each income group in the country can be effectively catered for including the no-income group. To actualise the intentions of the policy there are strategies, initiatives, processes, institutional framework that must be put in place, co-ordinated, monitored, evaluated and assessed for impact through feedback. It is when all this are done that one can positively align one’s thinking to the genuine intention of government in respect of housing provision for Nigerians,” Omeife added

Corroborating, NIOB President, Mr. Moses Ogunleye who is the Vice President, Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria, ATOPCON and Chairman, Lagos Housing Fair said it is good that there is a new housing policy in the country. Ogunleye, however, added that he hopes the new policy has taken into consideration the errors in the implementation of the 1991 National Housing Policy, pointing out that there is no point having a policy that will not be implemented.

Explaining that access to land for building purposes is very difficult across the country, Ogunleye who is a former past chairman, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, NITP, Lagos branch, said for the new policy to be effective, various states’ land agencies and ministries should be reactivated. He is of the view that the major area where change should come  first is through land administration, arguing that land management in the country has been deficient which has affected supply to the extent that land transactions in Nigeria can be described as black market, a situation where ‘Omo nile’ now dictate what happens.

Ogunleye said: “it is not that we don’t have lands for various uses. But the problem is that we don’t manage our lands well. Another area of concern is that our mortgage system is not vibrant. For mortgage system to be vibrant, land administration must be effective.

This is because you need titles to land as collateral to access loans from the bank. I hope and pray that this new policy will not be like others that came before it. I hope there will be no deviations from it.”

Victims of the Makoko demolition

A Makoko resident, paddling into homelessness, courtesy of "General"Raji Fashola governor of Lagos state

Not in Fashola`s agenda

Fashola, obviously has no agenda for the poor.

Basketball: Lithuania defeats Nigeria 72 – 53

Lithuania left, Nigeria right

LONDON (AFP) – Lithuania, which has played for a bronze medal in the past five Olympic men’s basketball tournaments, defeated Nigeria 72-53 on Tuesday for the team’s first triumph at London.

Lithuania’s victory left each team at 1-1 in Group A round-robin play after Nigeria opened with a 60-56 victory over Tunisia and Lithuania lost 102-79 to Argentina.

Lithuania — which took bronze in 1992, 1996 and 2000 and settled for fourth in 2004 and 2008 — will next meet France on Thursday while the Nigerians must face the US collection of NBA stars.

Both Nigeria and Lithuania made it to the Olympics through a last-chance qualifying tournament three weeks ago at Venezuela.

Empower police to deal with Boko Haram – Buhari

Buhari, wants the Nigerian Police empowered

Presidential Candidate for the Congress for Progressive Change in the 2011 elections, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has asked the Federal Government to empower the police to deal with the Boko Haram insurgency.

Buhari spoke on the sidelines of the presentation of a book titled, ‘How I governed Anambra State: Stewardship & Accountability’ in Abuja, on Thursday.

The book was written by a former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju.

Also at this event, an All Nigeria Peoples Party stalwart, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezife, said Nigeria and Nigerians had become unpopular because “we have killed our conscience.”

Buhari said, “The bombings have subsided. It’s up to the law enforcement agents. This is probably the problem of the police. You know, they (Police and SSS) have to secure the country. Constitutionally it’s their job

“Boko Haram as I said, I would rather that the police should be empowered.

Auditioning for strikers • Keshi shopping for marksmen • Eguavoen, Adepoju wary of Liberians

                                   Nigeria`s National Soccer Team

Nigeria will do everything possible to be at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa, though Liberia stands on their path. But the Super Eagles will have to do it with their best strikers.

Eagles coach Stephen Keshi admits that the team has not been scoring the way they should in recent matches, saying it is a problem he is seeking solutions. He had earlier said he would add about two more players to the team to bolster the midfield and the attack.

The Eagles scored a total of four goals in the three matches played in June despite creating several scoring chances during the encounters.

He says, “It’s true we’re not scoring goals the way we should, but we’re working on it.

“We have a lot of players who were not part of the last games like Obafemi Martins, Obinna Nsofor, Ogbuke Obasi, Emmanuel Emenike and more.

“These players are as important and very good to our ambition of building a strong national team for Nigeria and I have been in touch with all of them.”

Keshi is not feeling overconfident that Nigeria would beat Liberia as he cautioned against using the February friendly between the two teams as a yardstick to measure the outcome of the qualifiers.

His former teammates Austin Eguavoen and Mutiu Adepoju also warn that Nigeria cannot afford to miss out on the Nations Cup next year, saying the Eagles must win the tie.

Eguavoen, a former Eagles coach, says Liberia should not be regarded as minnows as he recalls how Guinea shocked Nigeria to deny the Eagles a place at the 2012 Nations Cup.

“Every team wants to beat Nigeria especially when it appears that we’re a weak,” Eguavoen, who coaches Enyimba, says.

“Liberia, just like some other teams in the continent, have realised that anything is possible as long as you put everything into it. They will be fuelled by the success of Zambia, who defeated favourites Ivory Coast, at the last competition.

“Keshi has his philosophy on how to make the team succeed. I had mine and Siasia had his when we were in charge of the team, but I will want to see where our top scorers are kept busy as they score goals.

“We have quality players that can make us proud, but I think players like Nnamdi Oduamadi, Osaze Odemwingie, Ekhigo Ehiosun and Nosa Igiebor can boost the team with their goals.”

His opinion aligns with that of Adepoju, who says it would be scandalous if Nigeria fail to be at the finals.

“We have everything that we need to beat Liberia. Apart from the fact that Liberia are the lowest ranked team in the last qualifying round, the Eagles should be fired up by the shame of not being at the last Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon,” Adepoju says.

In the 12 encounters between the two sides, Nigeria have won eight times, while three games ended in a draw. The only time Liberia won was in a 2002 World Cup qualifier in Monrovia in July, 2000.

Stephen Keshi, Eagles Manager

Austin Eguavoen warns that Nigeria cannot afford to miss out at the Nations Cup next year

 Mutiu Adepoju gave the same warning as Eguavoen

MRS PATIENCE JONATHAN MAKES HISTORY:

                                                MRS PATIENCE JONATHAN, NATIONAL RECORD HOLDER 

                                                                

The wife of the present president of Nigeria, Mrs. Patience Jonathan was on Wednesday, July 11, 2012,  made a permanent secretary alongside 17 others in Bayelsa State by the Governor Seriake Dickson. According to the senior special assistant to the governor on media affairs, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, in the state`s radio broadcast, gave the reason for her appointment, The reason for the appointment of the first lady was that the First Lady was a teacher in the state’s civil service and has been on leave of absence since 1999 to join her spouse in his political service; first as a deputy governor, governor, vice president, then president. If not for the leave of absence, according to him, Mrs Jonathan would have risen to the status of a permanent secretary by now. With this appointment, Mrs Jonathan has obviously set a national record for herself as no first lady in the history of Nigeria has held two public offices.

STEPHANIE OKOTIE BREAKS SILENCE ON HER DIVORCE FROM REV. CHRIS OKOTIE

STEPHANIE OKOTIE, breaks her silence

About a month ago, on a Sunday service, Rev. Chris Okotie, senior pastor Household of God, situated in Oregun, Lagos, Nigeria, formally annouced his divorce to his wife Stephanie Okotie leaving no reason behind. Less than two weeks after he had sacked his wife of four years, his church came out with a press statement giving the impression that the couple had settled for a seperation, but from the way the enstranged wife of the pastor sounded on her facebook page, it`s so evident that she left in pains- below is what she wrote on her page and response of some of her friends

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’ll break oil cabal – Tompolo

Government Ekpemupolo.. wants a fair share of the oil

 

HE is popularly known as Tompolo, an ex-militant leader that once evoked terror in the Niger-Delta. Most people don’t know him by his bonafide name, Government Ekpemupolo, not to mention that he is a High Chief of Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.

Looking at his little frame, you would never believe that he was the founder of the dreaded Movement for Emancipation of the Niger-Delta, MEND, and since 2009, when he accepted amnesty; he has kept his cards very close to his chest. Even when he became a subject of controversy over the award of a mouthwatering contract to his company by the Federal Government to provide security on the nation’s territorial waters, he remained taciturn.

But the “generalissimo,” as he was known in the militant world, came out of the cocoon, last week, and spoke to our source in a no holds barred interview. He cleared the air on the controversial  contract, opened up on why the nation’s  oil cabal is after him; how he plans to stop them from looting the country’s resources, what really propelled the Ijaw/Itsekiri crisis, his once dreaded militant hideaway, Camp 5, Niger-Delta struggle, Henry Okah and lots more.  Excerpts.

YOUR real name is Government Ekpemupolo, but you are popularly known as Tompolo, a nickname that rouses fear in people because of your dexterity as a former militant leader. How did you come about the name?

Tompolo is my father’s company’s name and then, I was like the director of operations. Almost everybody calls me Tompolo  because I was the one running the company – that is how the name came about.

What kind of company?

Tompolo Nigeria Limited is a company we have been operating these past 17 years, from Tompolo and Sons to Tompolo Nigeria Limited.

 It deals on what?

It is a general contracting company.

Your first name is Government and I believe you know what government means. How did you father come about the name? Was he expecting you to become government later in your life?

Government is my name, it was given to me by my father’s friend when I was born and it overshadowed every other name.

Where is this your father’s friend from and what warranted his giving you the name?

I was a kid then, I do not know much about it, but from what my father told me, he simply told him that this is the name for this young man and everybody agreed with him.

Looking at your quiet mien, one will never believe that you are the former militant generalissimo that caused a lot of panic in the Niger-Delta. What really propelled you into arms struggle?

What prompted me and maybe a few other people like Paul, Dennis, Ketson, Kingsley Otuaro, Oboko Bello, Dan, George Timinimi and others, was that our God-given land was taken over by our neighbour, the Itsekiri. In the eighties, there was a time when the Itsekiri people came to say they wanted to collect rent from Okerenkoko people, a town that is today an Ijaw community in Gbaramatu kingdom. Also in my father’s land, which is Egwa community,we are still having cases pending in the Supreme Court. The Itsekiri people say they are the owners of Gbaramatu kingdom as a whole. From what I was told, we (Ijaw) are the original owners of the land in question, and our Itsekiri brothers came to meet us there.

Early awareness

You know how our people used to live. They accommodated and lived together with them, but because this early awareness was not in our people, they now used this kangaroo court judgment and at the end say they are the owners of Gbaramatu. Even as we speak, we are still facing cases like this in Ogbe-Ijoh. I was following my father’s elder brother, late Papa Gbamido Ekpemupolo as he went about these cases from one court to another, either in Benin, Warri or Abuja. So when we came to find out that if we don’t stand firm that we will be forced to pay rent to our neighbour, we now said for once, let us take our lives in our hands and fight this battle. That is where the battle between us and our Itsekiri brothers started.

The second stage was the relocation of headquarters of Warri South-West local government area from Ogbe-Ijoh to Ogidigben, an Itsekiri community. However, I have a personal pain. My main concern is this and I will give an instance: If my father told me, my son, this table belongs to me, but people are taking from me by force, then, you know, as a son, you will always keep it in your mind and you grow up to a stage that you can work with it, you will do your work.

What of the larger Niger-Delta struggle, what brought you into it?

The Niger-Delta struggle is something our elder brother, Isaac Adaka-Boro and others started. We know that what is keeping this country together is the oil that is produced in our place and we are not getting anything out of it. And we know that if this oil was to be in the North, it is what they give to government that government would take. Our opinion is that we are the owners of the oil and want to get our fair share.

It was alleged that before the Itsekiri/Ijaw crisis, you were actually into oil bunkering and that was what kept you going?

I think every reasonable man and woman knows that I am not into oil bunkering. Even before 1997, I was working with my father. As the eldest son, I was the person in charge of my father’s business.

Father’s business

My father was one of the contractors …even the contracts we were handling then with Gulf, not Chevron, was not small by obtainable standards. Everybody knows that my father was a contractor. I am not into oil business. My name became associated with oil business when I was in Camp 5 (the militant camp that was destroyed in 2009 by the Joint Task Force, JTF, on Niger-Delta). You see, when people were doing illegal business in my area (front of Camp 5), I had people with me and would ask them to go and ask these people to give them some money so that we could feed with it.

When any vessel comes in from Escravos to Forcados to load crude oil, we have Customs, DPR, Navy, Army, Police and Airforce, everybody is there in Chevron yard. That is why no security person can confront me that I am a bunkerer. Everybody knows that I am not a bunkerer and that is the more reason why I am surviving up till date.

Talking about Camp 5, how did you come about the place. It has buildings patterned into a barrack structure with training field and an adjoining canal. Did you build the camp?

No, when we started this struggle, our base was a personal house at Okerenkoko and that was the place everybody was using. We called the place Abuja. You know if you want to achieve your aim and objectives, you cannot stay in the midst of people to do a genuine struggle.  Also, there is a deity, Egbesu, that we used to fight this war and there are things that you cannot involve yourselves.

Like maybe you are going out for operation tomorrow, you will not sleep with your wife and you will not even eat food that a woman prepared.

For me to confront the Nigerian government to a stage where we would be recognized, I needed to move my people out of Okerenkoko, that was how I went to fence… there is a place before Camp 5, which is Iroko, we went there, but Camp 5 was a camp that Julius Berger Construction Company built I think in the eighties, so the structures were there.

Money to build new structures

I just went there to clear the place because I didn’t have money to build new structures. And the place is strategic, you know, so I now roofed the houses and base in Camp 5 and I was there. A lot of people were coming and you had to have a place for them to sit down and you talk with them on the struggle.

My intention was not to kill innocent person and that was the reason why even at the point of open confrontation, maybe  if I saw that the soldiers were seriously injured, I would bring them into my camp, given them treatment and take them back.

Is this really true?

Yes, that was what I was doing and a lot of security people can attest to that.

Okay, how did the name Camp 5 come about?

Julius Berger was having a lot of camps; they had camp 3, camp 4, camp 6 and camp 5. That was the name that was given to that place by Julius Berger.

It was the Niger-Delta struggle that gave birth to the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger-Delta, MEND. There is controversy up till date on the formation and leadership of this group. How was it formed and who is the leader?

I think that it is not an issue that people will argue about; every reasonable person knows that I am the founder of MEND. Like I am here, I have people who are graduates (pointing to one of them who was with him during this interview), I did not go to school, so anything concerning paper work, they are the people to handle it. I am not the only person though, there are others. If you are doing something, you have to put heads together with others because the idea is to cut across our nine states.

That was how MEND was formed and that was the reason the last time that all the ex-militant leaders went to Abuja, in the presence of everybody, I told them that I am the owner of MEND. It was formed in Camp 5.  I said it in the presence of everybody and nobody can contest it with me.

You see, most of these ‘generals’ you see today that are everywhere, I produced them, except the leader of the Niger-Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, NDPVF, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari and Ateke Tom; every other ‘general’ that you are hearing their names, blah, blah, blah, I produced them from Camp 5. But you know, when somebody is doing something, especially when money comes, you know power, everybody will support it, even today, all of them know that I am their leader.

What is the involvement of Henry Okah in MEND? He is also being referred to as the leader of MEND?

(Voice rising) I think I will not discuss much on that, but if not for the recent happenings, Henry Okah was one of us. That is the truth and he is somebody that if not for greed and his trying to say that I want to be all and all, he is one person that all of us respect. He is one of us.

What was really the vision of MEND that time?

MEND- the name MEND, our vision was to fight for our people, free them from bondage, which was the essence of MEND. And that was the reason Alhaji Dokubo-Asari and former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, were arrested and the N1.5 billion that was supposed to be paid to Bayelsa people was not paid. Even till now, we are waiting, MEND had to mount pressure on the Nigerian government. Even Henry Okah before he was released, I mean this last one before his present predicament, we fought and they were released.

With the present situation of things in the Niger-Delta, can you boldly say that MEND is dead?

MEND, for now, as all of us came out to embrace amnesty; I think the issue of MEND is over. Today, if anybody is using MEND on any platform, I think we should call the person to come and give us the reason he is doing that. If there is any reason today or tomorrow for us to go back to the creek, and we decide to use MEND, then we can bring it back. But for now, MEND is nowhere, anybody that is using MEND is using it for his own personal interest.

In 2009, that was three years ago, the JTF declared you wanted, razed your house at Oporoza and the palace of your royal father, but you simply disappeared. The task force could not get you and there was information that you escaped from the country. Can you tell us how you survived the manhunt without being caught?

That is a long story. When they were bombing Oporoza and Camp 5, I was there. The belief I have up till date is that I am into a genuine struggle and so, no amount of bomb or gun can do anything to me and others that are in it. We were doing our community festival when the army went and bombed Oporoza with small children, women and everybody in the gathering. One person was seriously injured and because of lack of medical care, he died. The person is my brother, even now, the daughter is with me, I left her an hour ago to come and wait for this interview. So, I was there and after the whole battle, as they were going from one village to another village, I was there monitoring them.

Bombing of Oporoza

Even the day Okerenkoko was burnt down, I was there. My father’s village was burnt down, you know, when they came back to loot Oporoza, I was there because that is my place. One can do all sorts of things, but for one to go to your village and get to where you are, it is not an easy matter. It was after this that I quickly moved out of the country for about two weeks.

I know that I can always save my people and when I came back, I was in touch with top government functionaries, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Ministers and even the JTF Commander, who was hunting for me. I called him and asked him: You said you want to get me dead or alive? I told him it was not possible and he said no, he would get me, and I told him; if you can do it, carry on.

Are you talking about Major-General Mohammed Sarkin-Bello or Brigadier General Rimtip?

I was talking to Rimtip and the other one, Mohammed, the one who was in-charge of the operation directly.

You mean when you were right there in Oporoza or you were hiding in the forest when the soldiers were searching for you?

I was there. There was even a day when they came to Okerenkoko, I was there, after the burning down of the place, I was there, it is my area, and nobody can drive me out of the place.

 You later accepted amnesty; can you tell us the circumstance that made you to accept amnesty?

You know when I came back, I fought back, it was then I attacked Chevron and went to Atlas Cove in Lagos. After then, the government now realized that the matter was far more than it was thinking as we had the capacity to cripple the economy.

MEND claimed responsibility for these attacks and because the JTF was searching for you, nobody would think you were behind it?

After these particular attacks, which were massive, everybody was calling me that we should settle this matter, that as soon as I come out to accept amnesty, the government too would do what they are supposed to do for us. So because of the pressure on me, I told myself, let me try to save my people, who were being killed and harassed by soldiers under the pretext that they were searching for me.

You know, majority of the people of Gbaramatu were out of their villages and communities for about three months because of this problem. So, I came out, it was myself and two other persons, I now said, if they want to kill anybody, I will surrender myself, instead of allowing them to kill my people. So I went straight to Abuja, I did not go with police, I did not go with anything, I went straight to Abuja, I went straight to meet the then President, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua and he said that it was himself who asked them to declare me wanted. And that he was very sorry and that we should put heads together and build Nigeria together. So I agreed with him and accepted amnesty.

At the time you went to Abuja, you were still being looked for by the JTF and I know I asked him at that time, he said you would be arrested once you were seen because you had not accepted amnesty. So how did you find yourself in Abuja with Yar’Adua, did you fly, which road did you pass?

I know my way to Abuja, how I got there is between me and my God.