The leadership of the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) after its emergency security meeting on the ongoing crisis in Oyigbo.
The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) has chided Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and the Federal Government over the military operation against residents of Oyigbo community, describing it as a collective crime against helpless citizens.
National President of OYC, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka in a statement noted with regret the pains, maiming, intimidation, harassment and corporal punishment the people are passing through since the 10-day, 24hrs curfew imposed by the governor as a result of the crisis and violence that erupted nationwide following the hijacked #EndSARS protest.
The Council also noted with regret that the outburst of Governor Wike raising unfounded alarm alleging that IPOB is responsible for the post #EndSARS violence in Oyigbo, stressing that such violence took place in all parts of Southern Nigeria, including Abuja.
“In any case, we want Gov. Wike to reveal to Nigerians and the world how they traced the violent attacks to IPOB?”
He continued: “We demand that Wike should publish the report of his independent panel of inquiry with evidential reports indicting IPOB as the group that led the violent attack in Oyigbo. Failure to do so, the Council will compile the record of human right abuses, assault, harassment and killings ongoing in Oyigbo, which will be used against him in court at the expiration of his tenure as Rivers State governor.
“It is our belief that Wike acted on emotions rather than evidential reports or proof against the youths in Oyigbo. This shows that Wike, as a lawyer does not know the implication of working on hear-say evidence which is not admissible in any court of law.
“It’s painful that Igbos have suffered excruciating pains, injustice, intimidation and all forms of human violation since the past 50 years in the hands of Nigerian politicians who always use our blood to launch their next political relevance in Nigeria, which is exactly what Wike is doing today in Oyigbo.
Wike’s approach as Chief Security Officer to restoring order and peace in Rivers state is inappropriate, unprofessional and undemocratic as this approach can culminate into escalating into civil unrest and raise uproar in the area.”
He therefore called on the governor to immediately withdraw the military operation going on in Oyigbo in other to restore sanity in the community.
Igboayaka added that nowhere did the Nigerian Constitution empower any governor or president to engage in extra- killing of its citizens, stressing that “if the killings continue, within 24 hours Ohanaeze Youth Council shall mobilize Igbo youths and storm Oyigbo either to die together with Oyigbo youths or to survive with them.
“We appeal to the international community and people of conscience to quickly come to the aid of inhabitants of Oyigbo community which has been denied access to public water, food and medicine, including pregnant women, infants and aged people who are going through untold denial of every means of livelihood due to the curfew.”