Africa News

Militants issue veiled threat as MEND leader to be tried in secret

May 2, 2008, 18:48 GMT

Abuja - A court in Jos, central Nigeria, ruled Friday that the leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) Henry Okah, would not face trial in public. 'MEND is disappointed but not surprised at today's ruling by a Federal High Court in Jos to conduct the trial of Henry Okah in secret under a flimsy excuse,' it said. 'We expect that his lawyers will contest this absurd ruling in the appeal court,' it added. 'The government will compromise some key tribes, individuals and groups in the Niger Delta region to support the injustice about to be perfected with support from the United States of America and the oil companies operating in Nigeria,' the militant group charged. The group had claimed responsibility for the kidnap of expatriate oil workers and influential Nigerians to press demands for a greater say in the exploitation of crude oil deposits in the Niger Delta by dwellers. Nigeria relies on crude oil exports from the Niger Delta region for more than 90 per cent of its total annual income. Okah was arrested in Angola in February on gunrunning charges and was deported to Nigeria in March, and refused to enter a plea Friday. At the resumed trial Friday, the Nigerian court overruled an application by Okah's counsel, Femi Falana, that the trial be conducted in an open courtroom. The prosecution had dropped charges against his co-accused, Edward Atatah, is. Okah was also charged with a plot to overthrow governments in West Africa and stealing weapons and ammunition in Nigerian armouries. The militant rebel said he was traumatised by Nigeria's security agencies and that he saw sunlight only on the three occasions that he was brought to court. Okah said that he was psychologically unbalanced having been kept in solitary confinement in a room that had a 200 watts bulb. 'I did not listen to the court clerk because I have resolved to stay mute for the rest of the proceedings,' he said. The judge adjourned the case to June 10, to enable prosecution to produce witnesses and charges against Okah.

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