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Photo: The
Sun Publishing
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Embattled former commander of the
Movement for the Emancipation of the
Niger Delta (MEND), “General” Boyloaf,
yesterday, advanced reason why he parted
ways with the leader of the group, Mr.
Henry Okah. He described him as an
ingrate.
He alleged that Okah told him not to
surrender arms and ammunition shortly
after he was released, adding that the
leader did not appreciate the effort he
made towards securing his release from
detention.
Boyloaf also unveiled the identity of
one of the top militant sponsors
claiming that he is a politician a top
aide in the President Umaru Yar’Adua
administration. He said the top
presidential aide reportedly gave him,
N15 million in 2005 to execute
“Operation Black February”.
Boyloaf who spoke on phone to some
selected newspapers, in Warri declared:
“It is the height of ingratitude for
them to be saying that I accepted
amnesty and decided to lay down arms
because of the money I am going to get
from the Federal Government, whereas
everybody knows that I made a statement
publicly that I will accept amnesty and
drop my arms if Henry Okah is released.
“You see, I am a man of my words. I
cannot go back on the statement I have
made publicly; the first thing that Okah
told me when he spoke to me after his
release is that I should hold on, that I
should not surrender my arms and he has
been going about inciting other people
in their camps not to surrender their
arms.
“The whole thing is that he was giving
me wrong impressions why I should not
surrender my arms contrary to a position
I have made public. At this age, I don’t
think people should use me. I have
fought for his release and he is out, I
should not be used further and it was
then I started seeing why somebody like
Alhaji Mujaheeden Dokubo-Asari is at
loggerheads with him”, he said.
Boyloaf said the presidential aide who
had been in the forefront of sponsoring
militants would ruin the amnesty
programme of Mr. President for his
selfish political motives if not put in
check, saying that those accusing him of
posturing for money were being unfair,
“because I was offered a mouth-watering
sum when Henry Okah was in detention to
forget about the struggle for his
release but I refused and kept on
fighting until he was released. Why
should they stab me at the back when I
stood behind him all through?”
Commenting on his recent meeting with
President Umaru Yar’Adua, Boyloaf said:
“All we discussed is how peace will come
to the Niger-Delta region.”
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