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Popular Niger Delta activist Nengi James OON, alongside other youths under the aegis of Advocates for Henry Okah, has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to grant a pardon to incarcerated Henry Okah, a leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.

The group made the appeal during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.

They urged the Nigerian government to open a diplomatic channels with South African authorities, particularly President Cyril Ramaphosa, for Okah’s release.

Okah was arrested in South Africa over his alleged link to the 2010 Independence Day bombing in Abuja, which claimed 12 lives.

Okah was thereafter sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment in South Africa.

Speaking with journalists, Nengi James said Okah deserved pardon just like others, including former insurgents, who had been granted clemency.

“It is important that we call on the Nigerian government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review and reconsider and look into the Henry Okah case as he did to others that have been given pardons. Henry Okah should be pardoned.

“We want him to be given a pardon because he has stayed for over 15 years in South Africa. This was a leader of a people.”

He contributed to the peace process in Niger region. His Children have stopped the academic pursuits due to his incarceration.

“Based on that, with what we have seen so far, we’ve been informed that some 700 Boko Haram members are deradicalization and reintegrated. And you are aware of the terrorist act and the Boko Haram act here in Abuja.

“The federal government has pardoned them, deradicalized them.

“So he(Okah) has already served for years, and we are using this opportunity to call on the Attorney General of the Federation, the President, to assist us. We are an advocate group calling for the pardon and release of Henry Okah, Charles Okah, Obi Nwabwueze and others that are jailed.

“Let pardon be given to Henry Okah. The campaign is starting from here, and we will continue to see that if our president want to have a new presidential election, these are part of the things that will give them the opportunity to say that yes, this is one of their leaders, and they need to be given some opportunity.

“We want him to be freed like other people that are being freed in Nigeria,” Nengi James said.

Also speaking, Snr. Comrade Edmund Ebiware reiterated the call for Okah’s pardon.

According to him, Henry Okah’s release would consolidate President Tinubu’s re-election bid.

“We are the advocates for the release of Henry Okah. The campaign group advocating for the release of Henry Okah, who was arrested in 2010, on October 2nd, 2010, over the incident of October 1st, 2010, in Abuja, the bombing that took the lives of 12 persons at the Eagle Square, on the 1st of October, 2010. Henry Okah is the leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.

“It was Henry Okah, Charles Okah and Obi Nwabwueze who are still in jail, suffering for their alleged crime. So, we are appealing to Mr. President for the fact that so many people have been pardoned.

“So many people were pardoned and reintegrated into society.

“These Boko Haram terrorists and all the rest were reintegrated into society a few day ago.

“More than 700 persons were reintegrated into the society. These are people known as terrorists, known killers.

“So many people died due to their activities, their heinous crime. So, we are appealing to Mr. President for the fact that Henry Okah is a resourceful person, somebody that has worked; he worked for peace in the Niger Delta. For that fact, that singular fact, it will add more to strengthen the peace in the Niger Delta if released.

“And it will be a big plus to Mr. President and the country, our country Nigeria. Because peace is what we need in the Niger Delta. And he is a leader; he is somebody that has made an impact in the Niger Delta.

“So, keeping that person out for all this long is detrimental to the Niger Delta as a region. So, we are calling on Mr. President to please, and we are appealing that he should consider him for a pardon.”