Lawyer for Okah Says Nigerian Government Has Not Given Evidence

Henry Okah was granted amnesty by the Nigerian government in exchange for MEND rebels to lay down their arms in the oil-producing Niger Delta. He faces charges from South Africa in connection with the October 1, 2010 car bombings in Abuja.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos

Nigeria: Okah - FG Yet to Give Evidence to South Africa - Falana

Abbas Jimoh
Nigeria Daily Trust
14 October 2010

The Federal Government has yet to supply any evidence in the ongoing trial of former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), Henry Okah, in connection with the October 1 Independence Anniversary celebration bomb blasts in Abuja.

Okah's counsel, Femi Falana, said this yesterday in Abuja while speaking with newsmen shortly after a meeting with the leadership of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP). He said he had accordingly advised Okah to face his trial in South Africa and not to engage in further argumentation with those who are looking for excuses to justify their incompetence.

Linking no response from Nigerian government to the requests by South Africa to the unorganized nature of Nigerian security network, Falana said it was unthinkable that Nigeria's security operatives got wind of the impending blasts through intelligence reports from Britain and America and yet could not do anything to prevent it.

He said: "The South African government is asking Nigeria to bring evidence, you asked us to search the man's house, we searched his house two days before the incident happened; you asked us to charge him, we have charged him, bring the evidence. You don't condemn people on the pages of newspapers and you guys (journalists) can also help them.

"The president says he knows the people, ask him to name them; he says it was not done by MEND, ask the president who did it?"

Falana added: "From what the president disclosed two days ago, in recent times, we have these bomb incidents in Bayelsa, in Rivers, Edo, Delta and he said publicly that no investigation was carried out.

Meanwhile, Falana has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate and unravel the alleged involvement of past president in the illegal withdrawal of the sum of N1.5 trillion from the coffers of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Falana's position was sequel to the allegation raised by the management of NNPC at a public hearing organized by the Senate recently.

He also raised alarm over Federal Government's arbitrary withdrawal of money from Excess Crude Account which he claimed has depleted to $30 billion from the over $45 billion left after the exit of the former president, Olusegun Obasanjo.