Secret trial for Nigeria militant

By Alex Last
BBC News, Lagos

Henry Okah is charged with treason and gun running

A Nigerian court has ruled that the treason trial of the Niger Delta militant leader Henry Okah will be held behind closed doors.

The Nigerian government had argued that the trial should be held in secret for reasons of national security.

Lawyers for Mr Okah say they will appeal against the decision.

A militant faction, loyal to Mr Okah, recently carried out a string of attacks on oil pipelines in protest at his continued detention.

The attacks forced a cut in Nigerian production, helping to push up the world price of oil.

Mr Okah helped set up a militant group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, which has carried out attacks against the oil industry over the last two years.

Possible embarrassment

He faces charges of treason and gunrunning and, in theory, he could face the death penalty if convicted.

But now a court has upheld the governments request that his trial be held behind closed doors - for reasons of national security.

Mr Okah's lawyers say they will appeal, arguing that the government is just embarrassed by what he could reveal.

An open trial for Mr Okah could be politically explosive. On the surface, the conflict in the delta appears to be about armed groups, angered by widespread poverty and pollution, fighting for local resource control.

But human-rights groups say that in reality militants, politicians and even members of the security forces have collaborated in arms deals, corruption, extortion, rigging elections and stealing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of oil.

Militants say Mr Okah was in the midst of all of this, but given the chance he could have a lot to say.