The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus
Keyamo, says he represented Niger Delta militant, Asari Dokubo, and other
groups like the Niger Delta Avengers not because he believed in the breakup of
Nigeria but because he believed in the right to self-determination.
Keyamo said this during a recent NTA programme titled,
‘One-on-One’.
He further said no one could lecture him about human rights
because the Supreme Court had said human rights should take the back seat when
the nation’s unity is involved.
The minister said, “No one can stand before me and tell me
about human rights. I have seen everything. I represented almost all the
separatist groups in this country – MASSOB, Niger Delta Volunteers Force, the
Niger Delta Avengers.
“I represented all of them in court. When Asari Dokubo was
arrested, when he was calling for the division at that time and all that, I
didn’t support the division of course, let me be clear. I was only talking
about the right to self-determination.
“I was shouting human rights in the Supreme Court. What did
the Supreme Court tell me to my face? I did that iconic case. They said Mr.
Keyamo, when national security is involved and the unity of this country, human
rights takes second place. That is what the Supreme Court told me. I did that
case.”
Keyamo was in January 2003 designated a prisoner of
conscience by Amnesty International for his activities as the leader of
Movement for the Actualisation of the Future Republic of the Niger Delta.
The minister, who now serves in the government of the
President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), slammed the media for giving
its platform to elements of disunity.
He said journalists must put patriotism ahead of
professionalism.
Keyamo those calling for secession were being sponsored by
those who could not defeat Buhari at the polls.
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