By: Felix Ikpotor
Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has condemns in the strongest terms the alleged raid on Yeghe, an Ogoni community in Gokana local government area of Rivers State last Sunday by military operatives.
The body in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Feghalo Nsukke said the incessant military invasion of Ogoni communities particularly Yeghe portrays sinister motives especially when considered against the backdrop that the area was experiencing significant peace.
MOSOP recalled that, “In February and March this year, similar raids were carried out on Yeghe and neighboring communities in which over 28 persons were killed, scores were maimed, raped and properties wantonly destroyed. In the raid of September 18, 2 persons are feared killed including Mr. John Sorbarikor Gbarazia and his wife, Gloria”.
It said there is no justification in the unabated invasions and killings of Ogonis by government forces and call for a probe into the latest military attack.
The body said it is particularly saddened by the attitude of the Nigerian security personnel who rolled out heavy tanks to nocturnally invade the Yeghe community leaving the people with pain, injuries and traumatic conditions which eventually lead to death.
While further condemning the act, MOSOP said that, “We are not in a military state neither are we in a state of war hence we expected the military to have deployed civilized methods in dealing with substantiated breaches. We note that the claims of the military, in this case, are largely unsubstantiated and faulters even in the face of common reasoning”.
It added that, “We demand that the security forces must conduct themselves within acceptable standards of human rights, respecting the sanctity of human life and the rights of our people to fair treatment and adopting more civilized approaches in addressing social problems as it is taking a very dangerous dimension and worsening the state of our already vulnerable population”.
The Ogoni rights body maintained that the continuous harassment, sporadic shooting and night operations in a purely civilian enclave without provocation along with its effects on the already dehumanized population is no longer acceptable.
It noted that, “The entire Ogoni community paid dearly for the enthronement of our democracy and we do expect to be respected as a people. If there be any security breaches, we do not expect the criminalization of an entire population, jeopardizing the security of our people who are currently agonizing under the strain of a polluted environment and harsh economy”.
The body demanded a full-scale investigation into the raid on the community in the early hours of Sunday, September 18, 2016 and urge the security forces to make clarifications on the conditions of those arrested including John Sorbarikor Gbarazia and his wife Gloria Gbarazia who were allegedly shot, adding that clarifications on the conditions of Barikpoa Dii, Sorbarikkor Norbaa and Barikui Suanu should also be made.
It threatened that any further provocation would be resisited and the relevant international bodies would be petitioned about the attacks on Ogoni communities.
