The National Union of Ogoni Students in the United States of America (NUOS USA) has called upon President Bola Tinubu to put an end to the ongoing narrative of an unresolved “killing spree” in Ogoniland, Rivers State since 2015.
NUOS USA expressed deep concern over the escalating violence that has plagued the region during this period, highlighting the lack of comprehensive investigations and subsequent punishment of the perpetrators by the government.
The Ogoni diaspora students specifically recalled several instances to support their claim.
“On the night of 4 January 2022, Daewifa Victor Barima Wifa, an Ogoni-born American, escaped assassination in Kono, Khana Local Government Area (LGA) and got arrested, and detained on reporting the incident to the Police in Bori Division.
“On 24 November 2018, Dr. Lucky Kina, an Ophthalmologist and philanthropist was assassinated in his community, Kpean. 19th May 2019, not less than 20 persons were killed in Boue, Khana LGA. February 6, 2021, five persons were killed in Zor Sogho, also in the Khana area.
“On 9 March 2019, Dr. Ferry Gberegbe, lecturer at the Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, was killed in Bori during the general elections. One man was killed by the Nigerian Army in Kegbara-Dere on 21 April 2019.
“On 9 April 2019, Sorle Deekae, activist and a retired Army Staff Sergeant who became Paramount Ruler) of Bere, and Friday Dugbor, retired Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) were murdered, Dugbor’s head taken away in Bane, Khana LGA.
“In February 2016, an estimated 40 persons were killed in military raids just ahead of a senatorial rerun election, Dr. Vincent Ebeh, was also killed during the period preceding that senatorial rerun.
“The security situation has had profound effects on the mental health of the people and created an internal refugee crisis. Moreover, a crackdown on civil rights campaigners has worsened the refugee situation in Ogoni which is of strong concern to NUOS USA.”
Emphasizing that the government cannot pretend to be unaware of these killings and their devastating impact on the people, the group firmly believes that, “the concentration of violence, assassinations and gangsterism in one part of Rivers an anomaly demanding deliberate investigations that must unravel the causes and key actors in the hope of bringing them to account.
“We are convinced most of the killings were politically motivated, deliberate attempt to cause deep crises in Ogoni with use of mercenaries sponsored by political actors to suppress the will of the people during elections and at other times, to repress civil rights actors within Ogoni, intimidate and suppress Ogoni’s desire for freedom.
“We demand that the Nigeria government comes clean with detailed investigation to unravel the key actors and sponsors of the killings that ravaged parts of Ogoni during the period.”