What is his life in detention  or prison like?

That’s if you can call it prison. It’s worse than that. It made his accomplice insane. Captain Atatah was released to seek psychiatrist evaluation and for medications for high blood pressure.

When does he wake on a normal day in the place he is detained?

He does not wake or sleep at any set time. You have to understand that he has no sense of time or day. He has no daylight or sunlight. A searchlight, call it watts is on him 24/7, there are no windows. He’s closed in. Nothing except a mattress on the floor. Nothing for company except the silence.

How does his day start? What does he do when he wakes?

He wakes after he closes his eyes. Let’s call that sleep. What he does when he wakes must be the

Henry Okah MEND leader.

Where is the place and what kind of detention centre is he held at?

Exact place/location remains unknown. What is known authentically is that it is a complete solitary confinement in an underground cell with the military intelligence. Though the court granted that he be transferred to the SSS custody eight months back, this order has still been flaunted by the persecutors.

How many times have his wife and family had access to him?

Access? The wife has had access twice in one year on a court day. Sources say there’s been no allocation to that. Forget about family. Not even all the other felony cases in Nigeria had this tight rigidity or restriction-from Awolowo, the Okar coup during the military regime down to the present ones.

What is the protocol like by the prison staff?

Okah’s prison staffs are heavily armed soldiers with all the arms you can think of. That’s the prison staff he has.

What is the kind of security around him and what are the security checks for the visitors?

There are no visitors whatsoever. Security during out days in court can wipe out Jos and those around him where he is kept can take on battalions of militants.

So, no visitors, no wife, family, doctor, priest; etc, only his lawyers have access?

Yes. Only the lawyers. On an agreed fixed date for their court brief.

Has any peace overture been made to him by the government or from any quarter?

None known.

How does he feed? Any food missing? Is he being starved?

You need access to determine that at all times. That is why some kind of access or appraisal is needed here. Okah was never someone who eats. He’s spartan.

 So he has lost weight? Any idea?

He has lost weight. That is to be expected.

What is his health condition really like?

I would start from his health in mind. It is still fine tuned I can say. However physical health is another thing. We’ve heard he’s got the kidney problem. We know kidney is a serious problem. We also know he had an eye operation in South Africa that needs ‘follow-up’.

Let’s hope that the order of getting him a doctor or taking him to the hospital for examination by the court is not flouted as they have flouted keeping him in the custody of the SSS for eight months since it was passed.

 So this health hazard, when did it start?

It manifested at first as kidney stones, before his arrest, so don’t think it was fabricated during his incarceration. It must have escalated due to the condition of the underground cell he’s kept in. I thought this type of cell had been abolished after Obasanjo’s regime.

It’s insane under a democratic rule to keep such places and keep a civilian locked in there. I should assume that every Nigerian is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Okah is not a militant; neither does he personally carry a gun. That he is known amongst the militants and influential, a son of the soil, and a stakeholder of the Niger Delta should be utilized to abate the crisis rather than lock him up in an underground hole, which is not helping matters in the first place.

He should rather be used as a tool to solve the Niger Delta problem. This would be more useful to our society. He’d better be used while alive than when dead.

Is he allowed to interact with any inmate at all?

There is no inmate or inmates.

Does he have a bible with him?

Recently.

Is there any spiritual change in him, is he a Catholic, Pentecostal or a born again Christian, what is his religious background and spiritual state then and now?

Henry Okah keeps his personal convictions close to his heart. Suffice it to say he’s a man of conscience. He listens inwardly more than anything else - mostly for crucial decisions.

Would you know what kind of dreams he may be having because it is believed that God speaks to people in these type of condition?

A man dreams the thoughts within his mind, (aspirations and desires) and the thoughts put in by God (if he listens). Henry dreams like all men but it depends also how you interpret dreams. Henry believes in his dreams and he carries them out with opportunities given. He believes God speaks to him.

Is he in high or low spirit in his current travail?

He is in high spirit. That’s his nature.

Has his friends abandoned him and family in this travail?

Henry has acquaintances, friends, then core friends that stick closer than a brother. The core friends have kept their valuable friendship to him and family.

Is he in chains in detention and do they follow him even if going to toilet, to bathe etc?

Sure they follow him to go anywhere. They chain his hands but knowing Henry, you need not to. Henry would come to you to chain him even!! It means nothing to him, the chaining thing. He understands these principles. However he’s not going anywhere and the people chaining him know so. Let’s just say it’s a needless protocol.

A man in a hole without actual daylight is followed, chained and blindfolded. Ridiculous but that’s it. A political situation is the answer to this whole charade not an escape or a 10- year court drag. Let’s utilize him not chain him.

What other way is he deprived of his human rights apart from his arrest in Angola, extradition and secret trial?

Right of visitation by wife and family. (Surely, they can cause no harm.) Right to daylight, (those in prison see that at least.) Right to be moved to a conducive environment, the SSS custody as ordered by the court, eight months ago.

But this has been overtaken by events, his dire need for medical attention due to his deteriorating kidney health, may we add an eye problem as well, could be worsened due to the watts 24/7. (Dormitories in schools have lights out time.)

A right to amenities or books (prisoners have a daily structured routine.) A better feeding programme (make it balanced, it doesn’t have to be tasty but with the kidney problem he needs serious medical appraisal here). An impartial prosecution team, Okah according to the Nigerian legal constitution, should be viewed innocent until proven guilty.

That in itself is most important as it is crucial for an equitable, fair and sound judgment. An open trial and not a secret one, etc…

What is the concern about people that were supposed to have been charged with him being declared at large and some others accused are released?

That concerns our judicial system. It can be whacked, (blind if it chooses to be,) depending on what biases they are riding on and what they wish to achieve. However, I will not bother about concerns on these but what positive thing can be done in regards to Okah’s incarceration.

What should be done to positively put an end to the crisis in the Niger Delta without further destruction, harm, loss of lives and infrastructure as our economy crumples. We should look for a visible, quick and solid solution that is embraced by all.

Does the family feel he has been betrayed by those that ought to be around him at this time of his life?
To bother about betrayal at this point is futile. Let’s say it’s politics, it’s the human terrain. It’s those that are helping now, in the light of events that count. For me and for many others.

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