Henry Okah

Henry Okah is a Nigerian guerrilla leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).cite news |first=Will |last=Connors |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=The Nigerian Rebel Who 'Taxes' Your Gasoline |url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1809979,00.html |work=Time Magazine |publisher= |date=2008-05-28 |accessdate=2008-07-18 ] The insurgent organization wreaks havoc on international oil companies operating in the Niger Delta by sabotaging facilities and kidnapping employees, limiting Nigeria's output and jacking up the price of oil.

It announced its creation in early 2006 with several attacks on Nigeria's oil infrastructure that have cut daily production by about one quarter, as well as a sophisticated media campaign involving e-mailing press releases to coincide with the attacks. It created headlines in Nigeria when it announced it would participate in peace talks if they were mediated by former United States President Jimmy Carter or actor George Clooney. It also claimed the organization was considering a cease-fire after receiving an "appeal" by U.S. Senator Barack Obama, who denied making it in the first place.

Okah was deported from Angola in February 2008 and, charged with 62 counts of treason, terrorism, illegal possession of firearms and arms trafficking, faces the death penalty.cite news |first=Gilbert |last=da Costa|authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Suspected Nigerian Militant Faces More Charges at Secret Trial|url=http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-07-07-voa21.cfm |work=Voice of America News |publisher= |date=2008-07-28 |accessdate=2008-07-21 ] He claims to be "championing the disenfranchised residents of the Delta region, who see little benefit from the oil being pumped out from under them." Okah's lawyer, Femi Falana, claims the Nigerian government offered to buy him off by granting ownership of several oil blocks, though he refused. The trial, which began in April 2008, will be held in private, because President Umaru Yar'Adua says it would "jeopardize national security". Lawyers for Okah say a closed trial is an infringement of his rights and have asked a superior court to overturn the decision.

The response from the group was not good, and on May 26 2008 it attacked a Royal Dutch Shell pipeline in the Delta region, and claimed to have killed 11 Nigerian troops. While the Nigerian government denies the deaths, the price of oil rose $1 on world markets within hours of the attack. A MEND e-mail warned " [their] attacks... are a retaliation to his unnecessary arrest."

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