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MY GRUELLING ORDEAL AT THE VENUE OF THE SECRET TRIAL OF MY HUSBAND, HENRY OKAH.

January 1, 2009
By Mrs.Azuka Okah
 

   1. 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 10 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.

 
  2. My husband informed me that the SSS men assured him that he will 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 have 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.  

 
 
3.That for that 10 minutes, my husband informed me that he is kept in a military formation up Northern Nigeria in an underground cell (in the custody Directorate of Military Intelligence-DMI). The said underground cell has searchlights on him 24 hours; hence he does not know day or night.
 
4.He informed me that he suspected he was poisoned thrice and was ‘stooling’ continuously with an excruciating abdominal pain. He said he went on 8 days of hunger strike and was eventually  taken to an unknown hospital.
 
5.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.  
 
6.      I.      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.
 
     II.      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 leveled against him. Invariably, his lawyers have had no access to him.
 
   III.      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’s gathered that the DPP visits the said Judge Ada before, during and after every court session to plan and orchestrate how the trial will play in the favor of the Federal Government.
 
7.  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 accusatorial 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.
 
8.
        I.      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.
 
II.      This is manifestly a violation of their legal rights to conduct this defense 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.
   III.      Even Charles Taylor who allegedly committed heinous war crimes were availed all his rights and facility by our Government.
 
9. 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 leaving me fraught as to the soughing of my mounting bills as a homemaker/wife.
 
10.My husband informed me that they equally want to ensure that he becomes insane like Edward Atatah, who despite been 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.
 
11.Edward Attatah became insane after the 7th day in Nigeria because of the level of torture; this contrast 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 of their soundness of mind while in Angola despite their unjust detention there.
 
 
12. This is the same Edward Atatah that has been discharged by the court for the same crimes the Government alleged they jointly committed in Angola.
 
 13. The vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in a presidential jet with other top government officials and other Niger Delta stakeholder visited my husband on the 7th of July 2007. They had a 4 hour-long meeting at Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria. There is a disparity between this visit and my husbands arrest @ 1400hrs on the 3rd of Sept in Luanda Angola and the reason for his illegal extradition to Nigeria.
 
14.  Sometime in August 2007 before he traveled, my husband informed me that the 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 conversations 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.
 
 
14. 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.
 
 
17.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 reconciliation process. Why arrest this same man? At the appropriate time the defense 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.
 
18. The world, Nigerians, politicians and everyone concerned on this matter should know that this is a Northern agenda to keep on milking perpetually the resources of the oppressed Niger Delta minorities without any protest. This is my testament.
 
19.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 windfall. A retired General appropriate Niger Delta oil blocks and sell 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 Government to keep this most expensive, yet least productive, Nigerian presidential system/syndicate.
 
 
 
20.   Ordinarily, the oil wealth is enough to for all Nigerians to live comfortably as obtain      in Norway, UAE, Kuwait and other progressive oil nations. Justice is a floater; the Nigerian Government is threading the path of all African government who have plunged their countries in conflicts.
 
Once again I see the pattern of a divide and rule strategy, we must not sell our birthrights and kinsmen for political advancement that we will eventually get with unity and focus. The south and indeed the whole of Nigeria must stand against this glaring and hooded injustice. Any oppressed individual, community or sector reacts normally against injustice. They should not be hauled to prison every time there is an agitation. My husband has indeed stood resolutely for justice; and justice is what he should get.
 
 
Azuka Okah
Dated this 3rd day of May 2008

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