Abuja Bomb Blast: Police Arrests Suspects, Declares Two Others Wanted

The Nigeria Police on Sunday, October 3, confirmed the arrest of a suspect barely 72 hours after multiple jubilee day bomb explosions in the Federal Capital, Abuja which claimed twelve lives and rendered many other seriously maimed.

Click here for June 16, 2011 Bomb Blast in Abuja Police Headquarters.

But the identity of the arrested suspect was not disclosed for security reasons. The police also declared two others, Chima Orlu and Ben Jessy, who are now at large wanted over the bomb blasts.

The Force Headquarters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja in a press release, signed by its Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police, (ACP), Emmanuel C. S. Ojukwu and made available to the Channels Television assured Nigerians and foreigners in the country that their safety is guaranteed as police is working round the clock to ensure safety of lives and property. He however implored Nigerians to help the police by providing useful information that could lead to the arrest of the fleeing suspects.

Ojukwu said: "By this release, they are declared wanted by the Nigeria Police, and are hereby requested to come forward and clear their names.

"Any person who sees them or knows their whereabouts is requested to kindly report to the nearest police station anywhere in the Federation of Nigeria, or abroad, or call or send SMS to the police."

He gave the following telephone numbers as 0803-3225-349, 0806-2700-000 and 0803-8305-707.

He further decried the bombing incident and reminded all citizens that the thought and act of bombing any part of the country amounts to a declaration of war against Nigeria.

"It is our collective duty to stop criminals from destroying our fatherland. All citizens are reminded that they are obliged by the constitution to assist law enforcement agencies in the maintenance of law and order. And it is indeed a punishable offence to conceal or hide the identity or whereabouts of a wanted person," he emphasized.

It would be recalled that in a release to the media less than hour prior to the explosions, Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) claimed responsibility for the attacks. But President Goodluck Jonathan rejected the claims. He rather directed his accusing fingers to off-shore sponsored terrorists as the masterminds of the dastardly act.

I think I tend to agree with the President: MEND had no cause throwing the bombs. The Amnesty programme is on course; their man (Jonathan) is now in charge; most likely their man will remain as No. 1 beyond 2011. So, what did MEND stand to gain from that kind of act? A splinter group of MEND seeking recognition? Probable. But what recognition is that? Are they not happy that the creek wars are over? Are they seeking total 'FREEDOM' by way of secession?

I overheard somebody making a supposition that the disgruntled North was behind it. Why? The zoning storm in a tea cup. So, what would they gain by that? Hmmn! This country na wah o! No wonder she has remained underdeveloped. There are just too many conflicting wars waged against too many conflicting goals. God save Nigeria.

I feel for those that died or got wounded in the bombing madness. I feel for their families especially. May God provide them succour.

Surely this is not MEND,mend would have bomb other meetings but not this one,it is a pure lie to say this is mend,However the president is wrong to say was caused by his political opponents.

Must people really go this far?.

I am glad they have uncovered something,unlike what people use to think,the Nigerian security agents (intelligence ) is a very strong unit,it is only cover and corruption that kill the cases they do uncover,there are so many reasons to believe this,Nigeria is a social community,if Mr .A carry bomb Mr C will know through who he might have confided in ........blah.............,hardly a crime can be thoroughly masterminded in Nigeria,even the Dele Giwa and Seragent Rogers issue is no secret.

President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday that the government of Nigeria knows the persons who masterminded the bomb blasts that marred Friday’s golden jubilee celebration. He said that it was the handiwork of terrorists and not the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) as was widely speculated.

In a swift reaction, however, MEND has again taken responsibility for the deadly bomb blasts which rocked the FCT and claimed 16 lives, saying that the nation’s security forces should be blamed for the avoidable loss of lives.

Reacting to President Jonathan’s statement yesterday that the group had no hand in the terrorist act, MEND said that it actually carried out the attacks after it had sent out several warning statements to the security forces several days before the attack.

Excerpts of the statement read: “The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) deeply regrets the avoidable loss of lives during our bomb attack in Abuja on Friday, October 1, 2010. Our hearts go to the families of those killed who we know were sympathetic to our cause. “The irresponsible attitude of the government security forces is to blame for the loss of lives. They were given five days prior notice which led to the harassment of Henry Okah on Thursday, September 30, in South Africa. Okah has never been involved in any MEND operations but has always been blamed for every attack, which is strange to us.

“The security forces were also warned one full hour to the first bomb blast ahead of the general alert sent to the media and told to steer the public from all parked cars which was not done.”
Meanwhile, President Jonathan has promised to overhaul the security services. This is just as the State Security Service (SSS) is beaming its searchlight on some top politicians in the country over their alleged involvement in the bomb blasts that killed no fewer than 16 persons and left scores of others wounded.

LEADERSHIP SUNDAY gathered last night that the camps of some presidential aspirants will be invited for interrogation.

The president declared yesterday in his address at the colloquim organised by the ECOWAS Parliament: “We know the persons behind the terrorist attacks on the nation. We know they used an organisation that operates in the Niger Delta called MEND as a front, but we are aware that MEND is not a terrorist organisation.”

According to a senior security operative, “we are working on so many leads which suggest that the blast was politically motivated to disrupt the peace and worsen the sense of insecurity among Nigerians.

“We believe this might be a political action aimed at disrupting the relative peace in the country since the grant of amnesty to ex-militants in the country.”

A top aide at the presidency had told LEADERSHIP SUNDAY how some political forces mobilised some terrorists led by Mr. Henry Okah with $100 million to carry out the attacks.

But President Jonathan said that the widely publicised information that linked the blast to MEND was diversionary.

“What happened yesterday was a terrorist act and MEND was just used as a straw; MEND is not a terrorist group.

“The Niger Delta people are aware of the government’s noble efforts to assuage the suffering and deprivation in that region.

“I am from the Niger Delta. My father’s house is a few metres from an oil-well, so nobody can claim to be a Niger Delta than myself.

“It is erroneous to think that my people who have been agitating for good living will deliberately blow up the opportunity they have now,” Jonathan added.

The president stressed that the unfortunate action was carried out by enemies of the state, saying that security operatives had been mobilised to fish out the perpetrators.

Jonathan added that the country’s security apparatus would be restructured to become proactive to guarantee the safety of life and property.

“I pray for the souls of those who died to attain peace and fervently pray for those who sustained injuries in the blast to be healed,” he said.

LEADERSHIP had reported yesterday that no fewer than 16 persons lost their lives at the Eagle Square venue of the bomb blasts. Scores of other Nigerians received various degrees of wound and are recuperating in hospitals within the Federal Capital Territory.

On the celebration of the golden jubilee of some African countries, Jonathan said that the ECOWAS Parliament had reminded African leaders to devote some time for sober reflection in the face of the celebration.

He said that the leaders must take into account a broad analysis of their performances as custodians of independent nations.

“We do not have an option than to uphold the ideals of democracy, rule of law and good governance,” he said.

Jonathan added that leaders must ensure that they keep in view the circumstances and wellbeing of the citizens, which were the focus of the various nationalist leaders and the pan-Africanists.

“Our today’s reality is that many countries in our continent are plagued by difficult challenges ranging from poverty, poor health care delivery, corruption to insecurity and maladministration.

“As a result, the continent is in dire need of solutions to these critical problems; solutions which must be well articulated and fully implemented to uplift the living standard of the populace,” Jonathan stated.

Sen. David Mark, the Senate president, expressed delight on the initiative of the parliament to celebrate the true freedom of some African states.

Source:Leadership news

Now how do you answer this. A criminal is saying: 'I am the Criminal', and the captor is saying: ' No you are not.'
Would any one wonder at whatever may follow this? Arrests and accusations? Where then do these lead to?
A happy and prosperous 2011 elections? How far ahead shall we stay happy and prosperous?

More drama is unrolling,Henry Okah,the Mend leader has denied his involvement so who is the MEND.


Nine persons suspected to have a hand in the October 1 bomb blast in Abuja have been arrested by the State Security Service [SSS].

The Assistant Director, public relations of the SSS, Marilyn Ogar said investigations reveal that the nine arrested persons have direct link with the leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta [MEND], Mr. Henry Okah.

Read more: http://www.nigerianelitesforum.com/n...#ixzz11TVazm6Q

As heads rolls ,I will like to state clearly that sentiments and personal ambiton should not be brought into arrest and investigations,let all be done in the ambient of the law with full transparency without any conspiracy.

Let us rewind back to the OCT 1 bombings. Few metres from where our President, foreign heads of state, nigerians and foreigners were "celebrating", the 1st bomb goes off; followed minutes later by the second; fatalities followed.

In hearing all those bangs, what gave the presidents security details the courage to advise the President to continue with the occasion? despite such serious security breach, the occassion continued.

How were they sure that there wasn't more bombs ready to explode somewhere else even closer to our dear President?
When the 9/11 occurred Bush was told not to descend.
Another view: Is Goodluck group not sure of defeating the evil genuis at the poll, hence a frame up of his campaign structure or self?
I wonder
Too many questions , no answer.

1 Although,more truths will unfold,I wonder if the perpetrators are that daft enough to fling those text messages around.
2 can those boys call dokpesi by name "DOKPESI",considering the culture of respect in our society,I hold my peace for now.

I pray the nigerian government would get to the root of this shameful act.

Be it mend ,politicians or what soever,the full hammer of the law should descend on the individual,we need purity in our land.they have shed innocent blood,they are animals and should be killed as such.

The Presidency yesterday challenged the leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Henry Okah to name the President’s aide who tried to persuade him to rope in northern political opponents in the 2011 presidential elections in the twin bomb blast that occurred on October 1st golden jubilee celebrations.

Okah, who is being held in in South Africa, told Al Jazeera yesterday that he received a phone call from a “close associate” of President Goodluck Jonathan, telling him to urge the MEND to withdraw its claim for the bombings, which killed at least 10 people and left 36 others injured on the blasts.

According to Okah, “On Saturday morning, just a day after the attack, a very close associate of President Jonathan called me and explained to me that there had been a bombing incident in Nigeria and that President Jonathan wanted me to reach out to the group, MEND, and get them to retract the earlier statement they had issued claiming responsibility for the attacks.

“They wanted to blame the attacks on northerners who are trying to fight against him (Jonathan) to come back as president and if this was done, I was not going to have any problems with the South African government.
“I declined to do this and a few hours later I was arrested. It was based on their belief that I was going to do that that Jonathan issued a statement saying that MEND did not carry out the attack.”

But in a statement signed by the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, to the President, Ima Niboro, the presidency said, “Mr. Henry Okah who has been openly charged for masterminding the terror attacks against his home country has been quoted by Al Jazeera Network as claiming that an aide of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan called to ask him to blame the October 1, 2010, bombings on Northern politicians.

“This of course is an outright lie, and we challenge Okah to name the President’s aide that spoke to him on the subject.
“There is an ongoing investigation on Okah’s alleged involvement in the bombings in Nigeria. In South Africa, he has already been charged to court. He should face the charges, and stop making frivolous claims.

“There is no question that Okah is a drowning man determined to pull others down with him, and there is hardly any purpose to be served by joining issues with an accused mass murderer. Okah is a man who has been known to say one thing and do another, and we are not at all surprised by his diversionary rhetoric,” he said.
Meanwhile, President Jonathan yesterday met top ex-militant commanders and foot soldiers of MEND numbering 100, who unanimously dissociated themselves from the twin bombing in the Federal Capital Abuja.
The ex-militants including Alhaji Mujahideen Asari Dokubo, Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), Ebikabowe Victor (Boyloaf), Chief Ateke Tom, Comrade Fara Dagogo, Shoot At Sight, Eberi Papa and Buster Ryme, met with the President at the press briefing room by the side of the Council Chambers, Presidential Villa Abuja.

President Jonathan told them that while government regretted the incident and sympathised with the victims of the blast, “it has opened the eyes of government more to see how we can improve security.”
He wondered why anyone would choose the jubilee celebrations for the nation’s independence to express his or her misgivings, “assuming some people really feel aggrieved.”

President Jonathan, who expressed his appreciation to the ex-militants for coming out to tell the world “what you stand for”, said as one who is also from the Niger Delta, “I have fair knowledge of the oil industry and the evolution of the Niger delta issues. I want to plead that even though like most programmes, we might have hitches but I want to assure you that government is actually committed and by God’s grace most of these hitches will be resolved”.

Ebikabowe (Boyloaf) told the audience including Vice President Namadi Sambo and other top Federal Government officials that the group condemns the act, saying that “MEND is not responsible. We have disarmed. We say to the world, these people claiming they are MEND are impersonating. It is a terrorist act. The people responsible for the act should be dealt with accordingly.”

Tompolo, who is the overall commander of MEND stated “I ‘m the leader of MEND. We are not part of the incident of October 1. MEND is not involved. I am the owner of MEND. We are going to work with you to?save this country Nigeria for everyone.”
He stated further, “Jomo Gbomo does not exist, if the person handling the media sector has a problem and another person takes over so far he has the password of the email he can use the name of Jomo Gbomo and cover up as Jomo Gbomo. So there is nothing as Jomo Gbomo, he does not exist.”

Dokubo said government must not show leniency to those behind the act, describing it as “heinous and condemnable, I want to say that we the people of Niger Delta, be you the Ogonis, Ibos, be you Itsekiri, Urhobos, we have condemned this action. We want the world to know that no power in heaven, on earth or below the earth, is strong enough to resist the power of God. It is the power of God that created this world that established and stabilized it. God has said that you, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan are the President of Nigeria. Allah himself as it is the Holy Quran gives power.

It is Allah that makes a person to be rich, and reduce the rich man, all powers belong to him. God made it in such a way that this day will be possible, so whoever stands against God is like a man who is standing against a train that is moving and wants to stop the train from passing , that person will be crushed by the train. I want to say that we believe that the day the bomb happened was the saddest day in the lives of most, if not all of us. I cried when I heard it, because I never expected it to happen and let it not be associated with the people of the Niger Delta.

“We may have different political opinions, but that does not mean that we do not know our root. We are not going to sell our patrimony. We will not do it, we believe that we have all spoken. The President and leader of our organization, the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, The platform on which our organization stand and all other leaders have all spoken in unity and one accord. We represent the people of Niger Delta, our past leaders who have died in the process of this struggle such as Prof. Ken Saro wiwa, and others will be turning in their graves that somebody who claims that he is part of us will do that which we have not done. We call on the government to investigate properly and fish out those involved and give out the most appropriate punishment.

Let there be no leniency, whoever is responsible for taking the lives of these innocent people. The action is condemnable. We have the rule of engagement in our organization, we do not kill innocent people, we do not kill women, children, nor kill even an unarmed soldier. We do not destroy properties, we do not pollute fish ponds, or cut down economic tree, we do not destroy houses and communities. anybody who is genuinely in this struggle knows that these are the laws that guide our struggle. That is the rule of our engagement, it may sound stupid but this is what we stand for and we will not depart from it ,” he said.

According to the leader of delegation/ President of Ijaw Youth Council- Karomema Mabiye, “as it has been clearly stated without equivocation that everybody in unison, in solidarity has left their walks of life to come here for one purpose to solidarise with President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his government and to assure Nigerians that the people of Niger Delta, having come this way, left the creeks and taking amnesty are solidly behind this government. There are no controversies about that, there are no pretences about that we are committed to your government, we are committed to your administration and we shall remain committed to that.

“We recognise that we live in a political environment at this time and being a political environment, all sorts of old tendencies will play out and that is we regret the recent bomb blast that happened on the day all of us were beginning to believe in this country and putting our hearts and minds in making sure that a responsible leadership emerges from this political system. When that bomb blast came, it was a rude awakening, particularly when it affected ordinary Nigerians.

“We want to say it here and to the whole world that the act is condemnable and we unequivocally condemn that act. It is dastardly, it is irresponsible and it is morally reprehensible. We reject such incident and we say that the Niger delta people are no way in support of that kind of attitude. Let it go from here and let it go to the entire world, particularly because we read in the media that it was MEND. All the leaders of MEND and all other organisations and we say that MEND was not responsible for that bomb blast.

Our struggle is a responsible struggle. Our struggle is a mortal struggle, our struggle is the struggle for fairness, justice and equity. And the political space that is opening offers a new opportunity to engage and it is only when this political process disappoints us that we can then say, our confidence has been betrayed. But we are sure that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has grown and understand the pains of the people of the Niger Delta and that alone gives us the confidence and courage to go after the opportunity that he provides for us and it is that we can address the issues bit by bit.

“We want to assure you that the people of the Niger Delta and not only the people of the Niger Delta because we have engaged Nigerians, we have engaged Nigerians of our kinds in the north, we have engaged Nigerians of our kinds in Igbo land, we have engaged Nigerians of our kinds in Yoruba land and in Hausa/Fulani land and we the people are happy with the dedication, with disposition that the president has continued to lead us forward and that is why the threat of emerging new generation is beginning to lead to politicisation of our march towards the new order. We want to assure you that we are with you because we see in this, the hand of the Almighty God in this,” he said.

A statement signed by the Director, Media and Publicity of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida's campaign organisation, Prince Kassim Afegbua, the former military ruler and presidential aspirant said: "The position of the Federal Govern-ment on the very painful and morally reprehensible act of car bombing on Golden Jubilee celebration did not only expose a breakdown in the security of the nation, but also exposes the lack of co-ordination of the President Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government."

i don't think this is what we need to hear right now,a breakdown in the national security does not just come in a day.