Nigeria: Leader of MEND arrested

  1. Posted on Sunday 3 October 2010 - 15:13
    Samuel
    Image of Samuel
    Samuel Okocha, AfricaNews reporter in Lagos, Nigeria
    The Leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Henry Okar is to appear before a South African court after he was arrested Saturday, a day after twin car bombings in Nigeria's capital Abuja left12 people dead.
    Eight killed in Nigeria Independence day Car bombs
    "He is due to appear in court tomorrow. He has not been charged yet," Okah's lawyer Piet du Plessis told AFP on Sunday. The lawyer added "he (Okah) was arrested on the allegation of contravening the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act.”

    Meanwhile, Nigerian security operatives have reportedly arrested some persons suspected to have taking part in the Friday blasts as the Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan links the incident to terrorists who used MEND's identity to disrupt the country's golden jubilee celebrations in Abuja.

    "Let me also use this opportunity to reassure Nigerians that what happened yesterday had nothing, I have to repeat, had nothing to do with the Niger Delta, people just used the name of MEND to camouflage criminality and terrorism," Thisday quotes the President as saying after his visit to the National Hospital, where some of the bomb victims were receiving treatment.

    "This is just similar to the commercial kidnappings taking place in the South-south and southeast, especially, people kidnap for money. They are not struggling for anybody and they are not representing anybody’s interest,” President Jonathan added.

    The Nigerian President who hails from the Niger Delta region of the country expressed government's deep condolences to the families of the bomb victims and appreciated all who have shown concern over the incident.

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