Several publications are reporting on the life of Henry Okah, a self-proclaimed militant in the Niger Delta who kidnapped and attacked oil production in the region.

From the BBC:

Little is known about Henry Okah, the Niger Delta militant currently being held by the Nigerian Government.

He has been accused by police of murder, kidnapping, bank robbery, gun-running and putting the state at risk by planning to secede the oil-rich delta region from Nigeria.

Okah was seized in September by the Nigerian Government and oil industry executives are hopeful that production may resume to normal levels.

From the Financial Times:

Having never been seen in public his existence was doubted, but he has held international oil markets to ransom over the past two years as the frontman for the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), which in 2006 claimed responsibility for cutting almost a quarter of Nigeria’s oil output.

His capture could mark a slowdown in Mend’s activities and put an end to his career as a top arms supplier to the Delta’s armed groups, which have accelerated their attacks on oil facilities, government forces and even each other in recent years.