Leadership (Abuja)
Austine Unoarumi
5 May 2008
Hundreds of women in Bayelsa State embarked on a protest rally weekend against perceived engagement of youths and women in political violence in the Niger Delta states, calling on politicians to desist from the act and give peace a chance.
The women, under the aegis of the Bayelsa Women for Peace, were in their hundreds and led by the state chairperson of the National Council for Women Societies, Mrs. Abosede Apere.
Delivering their position before the wife of the acting governor, Mrs. Iyorozeti Seibarogu, the women said though election violence could not be totally ruled out in the region, the resultant effect is on women, who become victims of the arms and ammunition provided for the youths used during an election.
They said over the years, the youths hired by these politicians eventually returned to the creeks with guns and become dangerous specie to the riverine communities.
"I must say the rivers are no longer safe for the women due to the activities of these sea pirates. We are tired of political crises and we need peace in the state," Mrs. Apere stated.
Responding, Mrs Seibarugu appealed to politicians and youths to shun violence and reject all forms of indiscipline so as to enable the government achieve some progress.
She expressed dismay that women and children bear the brunt during violent situations, such as elections; praying that the forthcoming re-run governorship poll would be free and fair and devoid of violence.
"We the people of Bayelsa State deserve the best that the government can offer, and we can only achieve this if we live in peace and harmony. I implore all the women here to go back home and advise our children not to allow themselves to be used to cause trouble. Let us Bayelsans show to the rest of the nation that something good can come out of Bayelsa and Niger Delta as a whole, that it is possible to achieve peaceful campaigns during the forthcoming elections."
She argued that peace could be achieved if their husbands and children are not fighting each other, stressing that the women should not be tired of preaching peace from now on.
Meanwhile, the militants over the weekend launched an attack on an oil ship off the coast of the country and took two people hostage.
A military spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Sagir Musa, who confirmed the attack yesterday, said that the two hostages were the captain of the ship, a foreigner and a Nigerian, whose full identities were still not known at the time of the report .
"The captain, a white man whose identity is still unknown and the Nigerian engineer of the ship, were abducted by the gunmen," Musar told AFP.
"The attack took place 15 nautical miles northwest from the Bonny channel," he said, adding that the military have launched a manhunt for the attackers.
The incident, which occurred a day earlier, came after an attack on Shell oil wells and a flow station in southern Bayelsa State, leading to a cut in the company's output.
Nigeria, Africa's largest oil producer exporting 2.14 million barrels of crude per day, has seen an upsurge in violent attacks on the oil and related industry in the past two years, a situation that has resulted into a hike in oil price at the international market.
Meanwhile, the wife of a notable Niger Delta militant, Mr Henry Okah, has accused the Federal Government of a fresh plot to exterminate the life of her husband who is currently facing a secret trial at the Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State.
According to a three-page statement made available to LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt, Mrs. Azuka Okah, whose husband is being charged to court on ground of cultism and treasonable felony, alleged that during her recent visit to her husband, the suspect disclosed that he has narrowly escaped poison on three occasions.
She said: "On my first visit to the venue of the trial at the Federal High Court, Jos, I was allowed to see and meet my husband for only ten minutes since he was illegally extradited to Nigeria from Angola. While speaking with him I was pointedly sandwiched by three SSS men listening to all our discussions.
"My husband informed me that the SSS men assured him that he would be kept in the military underground cell in the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) for one year without anyone knowing he was brought into the country. The SSS has refused/failed to obey the court order that my husband be kept in the custody of the civilian SSS and be accessible to his lawyers and family.
"That for that 10 minutes, my husband informed me that he is kept in a military formation up northern Nigeria in an underground cell . The said underground cell has searchlights on him 24 hours hence he does not know day or night.
"He informed me that he suspected he was poisoned thrice and was stolling continuously with an excruciating abdominal pain. He said he went on eight days of hunger strike and was eventually taken to an unknown hospital.
"Also, that twice, two venomous snakes mysteriously attacked him in his underground cell. That at every given time, 10 spy hidden cameras plus a microphone implanted in the small square cell watch over him 24/7.
"He said that in the last three months since he was brought to Nigeria on the 14th February 2008, he has seen sunlight only three times; these were only during court days.
"That he has been able to consult with his lawyers for only 30 minutes in total: i .e 30 seconds for each of the 55 charges levelled against him. Invariably, his lawyers have had no access to him.
"This is contrast to the DPP and his over 1000 team of ministry/SSS lawyers and federal operative who have been preparing there prosecution without let or hindrance.
"I observed that all the soldiers, police, prosecutors, the judge, the Attorney General (both from Benue) are all from the North. Same for the venue.
"I want the world to know that this is the most one sided trial the world will witness. Not even Adolf Hitler's men were subjected to the inquisitorial, oppressive and one-sided mode of trial. Our constitution provides for accusitorial criminal trial system.
"I have personally read the 1999 Nigerian constitution: section 36 provides that an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty; that he shall be availed all facilities for a fair trial. The opposite is the case in my husband's matter.
"From the small cubicle at the gate were I was confined, I saw that the prosecution team, the SSS legal team and officials plus all other Federal agents with the yellow arm band drive into the premises with their vehicles and take their phones into the court freely, while my husband's lawyers are searched, restricted and their phones and materials all seized.
"This is manifestly a violation of their legal rights to conduct this defence in a conducive atmosphere; this is the most hostile trial environment to behold in the history of this country, not even in the worst, fascist Abacha regime. Even Charles Taylor, who allegedly committed heinous war crimes, was availed all his rights and facility by our government.
"My children's letters, Bible tracks I sent to my husband and bank instructions he wrote, have all been confiscated. As it stands, none was delivered to him nor returned to me...
"My husband informed me that they equally want to ensure that he becomes insane like Edward Atatah, who, despite being discharged by Jos court, is still being held; this is to keep him away from the press and the public so as to hide his insanity and the consequent public outcry.
"Edward Atatah became insane after the 7th day in Nigeria because of the level of torture; this contrasts to even the Banana Republic of Angola where they had access to a library, TV and other facilities. His insanity attests to the psychological and otherwise tortures emitted. There are documents to testify on their soundness of mind while in Angola despite their unjustiful detention there.
"This is the same Edward Atatah that has been dicharged by the court for the same crimes the Government alleged they jointly committed in Angola.
"The vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in a presidential jet with other top government officials and other Niger Delta stakeholders visited my husband on the 7th of July, 2007. They had a four-hour long meeting at Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria . There is a disparity between this visit and my husband's arrest at 1400hrs on the 3rd of September in Luanda, Angola, and the reason for his illegal extradition to Nigeria.
"Some time in August 2007, before he traveled, my husband informed me that President Yar'Adua phoned him in finding a lasting solution to the Niger Delta crisis. My husband will also avail at the main trail the taped telephone conversation he had on him on that fateful day the 7th of July 2007 in Pretoria, South Africa, and every taped telephone conversation he held with all politicians and stakeholders of the Niger Delta. He has instructed me that this must be done to avail the political cloud that befalls him unjustly.
"My husband had told me back then that the discussion having hinged on the Niger Delta crisis, that he had bluntly refused any and all monetary inducement, including oil blocks. He stated that the lasting solution for him was fiscal federalism and the 50% derivation as obtained in the 1960/1963 Nigerian constitutions.
"In my presence, my husband received a phone call from Mr. Godsday Orubebe, now minister of special duties, who profusely pleaded to be the chief negotiator for my husband in the reconcilation process. Why arrest this same man? At the appropriate time the defence lawyers shall be availed the above taped phone call of the 6thh of July 2007 by Mr. Orubebe and the taped conversation/ meeting with the Vice President on that fateful day of the 7th of july 2007.
"Also on Thursday , June 14, 2007 same Mr. Godsday Orubebe visited the Vice President at the Presidential Villa on behalf of Henry Okah regarding the peace and reconciliation process.
"By World Bank official report, 400 billion US Dollars of the Niger Delta oil wealth has been stolen by less than 1% of Nigerians in name of governance. Another 400 billion US Dollars is also unofficially stolen. Of this, $12.2 billion disappeared during Gulf wind fall.
"A retired General appropriated Niger Delta oil blocks and sold them in one day for 2 billion US Dollars; yet the ruling cabal in Abuja, the Omnibus Emperors, continue to kill our deprived sons of the oil-rich soil daily. The North, with all its arable land mass, is yet to sell same and share to all the 36 states and 774 local governments to keep this most expensive, yet least productive, Nigerian presidential system/sydicate.
"Ordinarily, the oil wealth is enough for all Nigerians to live confortably as obtains in Norway, UAE, Kuwait and other progressive oil nations. Justice is a floater; the Nigerian government is treading the path of all African governments who have plunged their countries in conflicts.
"Once again, I see the pattern of a divide and rule strategy. We must not sell our birth rights and kinsmen for political advancement that we will eventually get with unity and focus."
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