By: Felix Ikpotor
Rivers youths under the aegis of the Rivers State Ethnic Youth Leaders Coalition, has raised the alarm over the alleged kidnapped of some of its members by yet to be identified gunmen Tuesday morning in Port Harcourt.
President of the group, Comrade Legborsi Yamabana in a statement said the youth leaders were whisked away at the Rumuola flyover in the city.
Rivers youths had planned a protest at the Rumuola flyover Tuesday morning against the construction firm, Julius Berger over local content demands and Corporate Social Responsibility despite alleged threats by the State Governor, Nyesom Wike to deal with anyone that tries to disrupt work on the flyovers.
The statement by Yamabana reads thus:
The Rivers State Ethnic Youth Leaders Coalition (RSEYLC) protest against Julius Berger Nigeria Plc which was scheduled to hold in Rumuola on Tuesday March 30, 2021 jointly with various youth groups, including student Unions among others has been rescheduled to a new date.
Most importantly, for the records, a major reason why this protest is been rescheduled is to honour those who were kidnapped by suspected state sponsored thugs.
We hereby demand for their immediate release.
The aim of the protest remains on four fronts among which are demands that Julius Berger should comply with Local Content laws and Corporate Social Responsibilty etc.For the records, Julius Berger has completed 3 flyovers and currently constructing 5 additional flyovers with several kilometers of roads, together with the Bodo-Bonny road with several bridges which cumulatively run into several hundred of billions of naira.
Despite the aforesaid, the company has audaciously jettisoned Corporate Social Responsibilty and Local Content Laws thus far, as practiced globally.
The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka invited us (RSEYLC) to meeting yesterday, upon our arrival at the Police Headquarters, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, the commissioner informed us that the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike want to be part of the meeting, we obliged and thereafter proceeded to Government House where we met with the Governor.
At the said meeting, the Governor threatened to kill us if we dare to carry-out any protest against Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. He said, “he will defend julius berger to the last drop of his blood and nobody or group can ask the company of Corporate Social Responsibilty (CSR) or local content empowerment.
When we insisted to go on with the protest if Julius Berger fail to comply with our lawful demands, the Governor directed his commissioner for information, Paulinus Nsirim to issue a statement, threatening to deal with any member RSEYLC that comes out for the protest.
Still determined to defend the interest of Rivers State Youths, we stepped out for the protest and before we could arrive the venue, gun men suspected to be from the Governor invaded us and whisked away the Secretary of Rivers State Ethnic Youth Leaders Coalition and about six other youth leaders who were out for the protest.
We wonder why the governor and government of Rivers State has decided to defend Julius Berger against Rivers State Youth Leaders at all cost.
Although there were reports not withstanding from our intelligence unit of plots to infiltrate the protesters with armed miscreants so as to criminalize the protesters and occasion a stage-managed gun battle with deployed troops leading to the killing of protesters, our resolve remains unchanging as we explore other channels of this same advocacy.
We therefore reiterate our demand that the secretary of RSEYLC and all those kidnapped by state sponsored miscreants be set free immediately.
Finally, we condemn these brazen act of Julius Berger and her institutional collaborator, the Rivers State Government for attempting to suppress our foundamental rights to expression and peaceful assembly. We call on the international community, especially the German Embassy and the European Union, Amnesty International and all men of goodwill and lovers of justice to stand with Rivers State Youth Leaders at this trying time”.
