Protesters hit Lagos over political violence in Rivers

Protesters hit Lagos over political violence in Rivers

Friday, February 27, 2015 5:18 pm


Some of the protesters armed with placards

Some of the protesters armed with placards

EROMOSELE EBHOMELE

Scores of Nigerian citizens under the Coalition of Ethnic-based Pressure Groups and Human Rights Groups in Rivers State, COEGHAR, have staged a protest in Lagos State, western Nigeria to call attention to what they described as the rising cases of political violence that could mar the forthcoming general elections if not immediately stopped.

The group also called on the United States of America to help salvage the country by helping with a lasting solution and ensuring that the elections are peaceful.

In a letter the coalition delivered to the office of the US Secretary of State through the country’s Consul-General, in Lagos State, the groups said they decided to embark on the protest because of “the current and unacceptable high level of insecurity in the said Rivers State which if not immediately addressed, will scuttle the attempts by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a free and fair election in Nigeria but particularly in Rivers State.

Reminding the US of its interest in ensuring that the elections in Nigeria held peacefully, the groups also recalled that the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistlewho, brokered a local peace pact in Rivers State among the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Labour Party, LP.

“It is rather unfortunate that instead of the above stated peace pacts achieving the aims for which they were signed, what we are currently witnessing is that Rivers State has been placed under siege and is daily being consumed by mindless violence which has resulted in the deaths of several innocent souls.

Some of the protesters

Some of the protesters

“We particularly note that deaths have occurred in Abua/Odual Local Government Area, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area and Okrika Local Government Area all in Rivers State.

“Of equal importance is the fact that all these are happening in the midst of uncertainty surrounding the judiciary in the state which has remained shut down and bogged down by a seemingly unending strike action embarked upon by Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, Rivers State branch with certain vested interests doing everything to ensure that the judiciary, being the last hope of the common man, does nit function at this point in time in the state,” they said adding that this has paved the way for a free-for-all by those who want to scuttle democracy.

The letter titled: Protest Against Acts of Politically Motivated Harrassment, Intimidation, Orchestrated Violence and Killings in Rivers State of Nigeria, said to ensure that political violence held sway, those perpetrating the act had bombed four courts in the state.

“With the comatose situation of the judiciary and the complacence of the law enforcement agencies, no wonder the masters of impunity are having a field day in the state,” the letter stated.

Though the groups refused to name any particular political party as responsible for acts of violence in the state, they expressed belief that the violence was being sponsored by those who have rendered the law enforcement agencies in the state incapable or unwilling to combat the alleged perpetrators.

“In some instances, the police have stood by and watched the orgy of violence happen without doing anything to stop it and arrest the criminal elements carrying out these dastardly activities.

“We have thus lost all confidence in the ability of the police in Rives State to properly handle the security situation in the state and protect the citizenry.

“In this circumstances, knowing that the citizenry of the state can no longer be protected by either the judiciary of the law enforcement agencies, we wish to call upon the American government and the international community to prevail on the authorities in Nigeria to allow the police and law enforcement agencies do their work of securing lives and properties so as to ensure that the forthcoming elections are allowed to hold in a conducive atmosphere that will ensure free and fair elections,” the groups said in the letter signed by leader of the coalition, Charles Inko-Tariah.


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One Comment

  • Dipo says:

    Why Lagos? Thought Rivers state is the boiling point?They all go to Rivers and protest

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