Ogoni killings: Governor Wike visits Yeghe and Bori, declares that perpetrators will be brought to justice
Rivers
State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that all those involved
in the killing of innocent Ogoni people and residents of Ogoniland will
be brought to justice , saying that nobody will be allowed to play
politics with the lives of Rivers People.
The governor declared
that the military must subject itself to civil authority, pointing out
that as Chief Security Officer of Rivers State, he was not informed of
the operation that led to loss of innocent lives of Ogoni people and
residents of the area.
He accused some politicians of
deliberately instigating crisis in the state to create room for the evil
declaration of state of emergency plotted by enemies of Rivers People.
Governor
Wike spoke on Thursday when led the Rivers State Commissioner of
Police, Mr Musa Kimo and top police officers on a fact finding mission
to Yeghe community in Gokana Local Government Area, affected communities
in Bori and Mortuaries where those killed by soldiers were deposited.
He
said: "The Rivers State Government will take up this unfortunate
incident with the appropriate authorities. The military must subject
itself to civil authority. I am the chief security officer of this
state. Before any deployment of soldiers, I should be informed, but in
this case I was not aware.
"I will always support the security
agencies in the fight against criminals and criminality, but I will
never support the killing of innocent persons. That is why I am here
today for an on-the-spot assessment. I have seen for myself the
destruction in Yeghe and the killings that took place. I went to the
Mortuaries to see the corpses and the relatives of the deceased
confirmed they were killed in the operation".
The governor
stated: "I have told security agencies to be careful so that they are
not misled by politicians. As your governor, I have never used soldiers
because I don't need them. When I see people not in government moving
around with soldiers, I am surprised. If you are popular with your
people, you have no reason to move with soldiers. "
While urging
the Ogoni people not to take the laws into their hands, Governor Wike
said: "All those who masterminded these killings will face justice. They
are busy causing crisis because of their evil plan to declare a state
of emergency in the state. Since they failed in my case, they will fail
in others because God is greater than them".
Governor Wike noted
that he has always advised the military to arrest criminals and hand
them over to the police for prosecution in line with the rules of
engagement and not to take actions that would harm innocent citizens.
He
denied ever making inflammatory statements on the Ogoni political
arena, saying that he only campaigned for his political party. According
to him, it is within his political right to guide the people on the
electoral choice they have to make in the interest of the state.
Governor
Wike said that the state government will hold a comprehensive security
council meeting on Thursday on the Ogoni Security Situation.
A
statement by Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the Rivers State
Governor on Electronic Media noted that thousands of wailing bereaved
widows, youths, children, widowers and traders at Yeghe and Bori
displayed photographs of loved ones killed by soldiers. They also
displayed placards condemning the military operation that claimed the
lives of their loved ones.
Bari Zikpo, a retired police officer,
told the governor that his first son was killed in the ill-fated
operation by the military. He said the operation claimed many others in
the town.
In Bori, David Gbarazie informed the governor that he lost his brother to the military operation.
Also
in Bori, the Igbo community also informed the community that the
military killed some traders in front of their shops. Spokesman for the
Igbo traders in Bori, Mr Michael Akuchi said a trader Livinus Nwafor and
his brother Kelechi Nwafor were killed by soldiers.
Simeon Nwakaudu,
Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor,
Electronic Media.
25th February, 2016.
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