HUNDREDS of Ogoni people took to the streets on Saturday to protest the military invasion of Gokana and Khana Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
The protesters, who carried white mock
caskets, expressed sadness over the raiding of the Yeghe community in
Gokana by soldiers, maintained that the action of the military was
politically motivated.
They added that some indigenes of the area lost their lives in the incident that lasted for two days.
Eighteen persons were said to have died
during the invasion, even as the house of a former militant leader in
Yeghe community, Solomon Ndigbara, was razed while the campaign office
of a senatorial candidate, Senator Magnus Abe, was also touched.
One of the leaders in Ogoniland and a
member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Lee Maeba, decried the
invasion of the place, adding that the action of the military was
unnecessary. Maeba recalled that many lives were lost
during the raid and called on the Federal Government to order the
withdrawal of soldiers illegally operating in Ogoniland.
According to him, “My appeal to the
Federal Government from this day is for the withdrawal of soldiers
operating illegally in Ogonilans. All military personnel should go.”
Also, the Secretary to the State
Government, Mr. Kenneth Kobani, who is from Gokana Local Government
Area, explained that the invasion of the area by the military negated
values of popular democracy. Kobani expressed shock that some members
of the All Progressives Congress were in support of the raiding of
Ogoni communities by the military.
He said, “What happened on those two
days of infamy; those two days of rage, ought to have been condemned by
all persons around the country. The invasion is condemnable.”
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PLEASE BE POLITE