Okah Freedom Key To Amnesty Acceptance

But Farah Dagogo, the commander of one of MEND’s largest factions, told Dow Jones Friday he could also hold off further attacks on the oil industry if it starts hiring more community members.

“President [Umar] Yar’Adua says ‘we want to give amnesty,'” Dagogo said. “They should start with [Henry Okah]. At least we will know they are sincere.”

His remarks come as the Nigerian government, which is losing at least half a million barrels a day in crude production from attacks in the oil-rich Delta, has stepped up a two-pronged strategy of attacking militant camps as well as renewing an amnesty offer.

Dagogo’s views show the government remains a long way from reaching an understanding with the militants, though they offer some hope of an end to the conflict.

The government’s offensive has focused on Tom Pollo, a MEND leader in Delta State, in the Western part of the region. But the government has said it may extend it eastward to Rivers State, the Delta’s largest oil producing area, where Dagogo is based.

The militant leader, who commands one of the three largest MEND factions, said “they can attack any where, we have no problem about that. We are not afraid of the JTF,” the army’s Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta.

But Dagogo said the government’s actions in Delta state – and subsequent claims of large civilian casualties – have worsened mistrust between militants and the government,

“They are not killing any militants, only innocent civilians,” Dagogo said. ” They [the government] are not sincere,” he added. “They are not ready for peace.”

Claims of large-scale civilian deaths have been denied by the Nigerian army.

Dagogo reiterated MEND’s stance that the international community, especially the United Nations, should help broker an end to the conflict. “We need the United Nations,” he said.

Dagogo expressed hope that U.S. President Barack Obama could play a positive influence. “He is a black man, he knows the problems of black people,” he said.

Nigeria is also strategic for U.S. oil supply, normally the U.S.’s fifth- largest source of crude.

Nigerian Energy Minister Rilwanu Lukman told Dow Jones Monday, however, that the “solution [to the Niger Delta’s crisis] is local” and international involvement isn’t a priority.

Dagogo was introduced to Dow Jones Newswires by Kennedy West, the head of the Association for Non-Violence in the Niger Delta. West is talking to both Nigerian government officials and militants to reach an understanding on the implementation of the government’s offer of amnesty.

Dagogo said he had been a student preparing to study medicine but decided instead to join Mujahid Dokubo-Asari when he set up MEND’s militant predecessor, the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force.

When Dokubo-Asari was jailed, his lieutenants, including Dagogo, participated in the creation of MEND, launching attacks of unprecedented intensity on oil companies.

Dagogo acknowledged, for example, that his group had attacked oil facilities in September in “a joint operation” with other MEND factions, following an army attack in the community where he hails from, Tombia.

The attacks on pipelines, plants and platforms operated by Chevron Corp. (CVX) and Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA) have halted up to 115,000 barrels a day of oil production – nearly 6% of the country’s production

But Dagogo said “we want to stop our attacks” on oil facilities. “We are telling them [the foreign oil companies] to come back,” he added.

Foreign oil companies have reduced their operations onshore in the Delta or have frozen new projects because of the unrest.

“The reason why we attacked them is that they don’t employ anybody where they work,” Dagogo said.

Though oil companies have tried to employ more community contractors in recent years, many villagers still feel excluded from employment opportunities, leading to resentment against the companies.

“If they give the youths some of the skills they need” and “proper [economic] development, I can guarantee there will be no problems for them,” Dagogo said.

For now, “maybe we can stop [attacks on oil infrastructure] for a while and see what happens,” he said.