18th May, 2019
Ogoni women, under the aegis of Ogoni Women of Praise have called on Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike to take steps to end the constant harassment of peaceful Ogoni community dwellers by the Nigerian army as the shooting in Ogoni communities is causing extreme fear and sending Ogoni women and children to early graves.
Coordinator of the group, Mrs Comfort Daada made the call on Saturday in reaction to yesterday’s heavy shooting by the army in Yeghe, Gokana Local Government Area, noting that the attitude of the army against the Ogoni people, especially the community of Yeghe must be discouraged as it appeared to be a deliberate plot to systematically kill the people .
The septuagenarian said there was no incident in Yeghe warranting any shooting and that to be faced with the sudden fright of a military raid is only killing innocent people especially women and children. She said the government was treating citizens in the most unpleasant ways by allowing the military to become an instrument of torture.
Daada said yesterday’s night raid was reminiscent of the Paul Okuntimo’s era and that the army should be advised against that as it seriously hurt the women, children and innocent citizens, including the strangers among them.
She said the fear and torment experienced by the community dwellers was horrendous and is gradually sending the indigenes to death.
“We are extremely terrified and many of our women and children are falling ill out of fear” she said. Narrating the case of a woman who collapsed and died just hearing the sound of gunshots during an army raid, Daada said what the army was doing in Ogoni was a way to gradually send people to early graves.
She urged the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike to take urgent measures to protect Ogoni citizens and end the spate of military repression in the land.