Omon-Julius Onabu
13 July 2009
Warri — Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin K. Clark, has told militants in the Niger Delta that there was no basis anymore for the relentless attacks on oil and gas installations in the Niger-Delta or related acts of sabotage.
Clark, who is regarded as one of the few highly respected opinion leaders from the region, stressed the need for this category of militants, who have so far shunned the general amnesty declared by President Umaru Yar'Adua, to have a rethink especially in the light of the latest presidential positive pronouncement on the embattled leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND).
"With the release of its detained leader, Mr. Henry Okah, it beats reasonable imagination that MEND would again be announcing at the weekend that its fighters carried out yet another attack and destruction of the Chevron pipeline, which links Alero Creek through Abiteye onto the Chevron export terminal in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State," he said.
Speaking with THISDAY in Warri from his country home in Kiagbodo yesterday, Clark noted that MEND had always insisted that it would consider observation of a ceasefire only if Okah was left off the legal hook and regained his freedom, saying the release of Okah is now imminent and only a matter of hours.
"Having told the world that it would only accept the presidential amnesty if Okah was released, MEND would have a lot to do convincing the discerning public locally and internationally why it would be reneging on that promise," Clark noted.
"I believe the time for bitterness, confrontation and hostility is over", Clark observed, "Now is the time for dialogue on how best to step up the development of the Niger-Delta based on justice and equity."
He however said that it would serve the interest of the amnesty best if the troops of the security joint task force (JTF) occupying the Ijaw communities of Gbaramatu are withdrawn by the Federal Government to pave the way for effective dialogue with JTF as well as the stakeholders on the best way forward for the region's peace.
However, Clark, who is also a lawyer, advised the government to clear all grey areas pertaining to the amnesty and the release of Okah, noting that it would appear the government did not fully heed previous orders by the appropriate court.
"The amnesty being granted may be unconditional, but it was regrettable that the Amnesty committee headed by General Godwin Abbe (retired) was yet to contact Mr. Okah despite the directive of President Umaru Yar'Adua," he said.
The court had earlier directed that Okah be given immediate medical attention outside the country for his failing kidney and other health problems but the government had been reluctant to comply with the directive, on the excuse that no country was prepared to accept him for treatment.
Clark further noted that Government should know better "that no country would accept Henry Okah on the strict conditions that Nigeria had stipulated; that any country accepting him for treatment must give an undertaking to return him to Nigeria after treating him."
According to Clark, "The pertinent question now is whether this condition is still necessary; now that amnesty is also granted to Mr. Henry Okah and other militants? The Federal Government should, therefore, be ready to take any responsibility if anything happens to Mr. Okah and I can assure all that the amnesty granted will become meaningless to these militants who have been fighting to release Henry Okah."
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