Group Warns Against Political Repression In Ogoni

L-R: Head, Indian High Commission, Lagos Office, Rani Malick; President, Nigeria Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Dr Uduimo Itsueli and one of the exhibitors, Mr Damilola Ojekunle, at the products and services exhibition in Lagos, last Thursday. Photo: NAN.

United States – based Ogonis under the aegis of Ogonis in the Diaspora Organisation (ODO) has warned against what it called a plot by the Federal Government to revisit in Ogoni, the dark days of military rule when life was brutish and short.
Executive Director of the Organisation based in Illinois, Chicago, Chief Ambrose Kii gave the warning while reacting to the violent attack on Senator Magnus Abe, representing Rivers South East Senatorial District, in Port Harcourt by the Police during the Save Rivers Movement rally penultimate Sunday.
Kii, who spoke with The Tide correspondent, accused the Federal Government of masterminding the attack on the Senator through its mercenaries.
He said the attack was an indication that “President Goodluck Jonathan was not only waging a war against the Ogonis, but determined to silence the voice of opposition and restrict democratic liberties”.
He regretted that the Federal Government had remained adamant on the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report, on Ogoni as well as refused to expunge the name of Ken Saro Wiwa and his fellow Kinsmen from its criminal books, while some persons of questionable character were granted presidential pardon.
He cautioned against what he called selective protection of political activities by the Police, asking: “If a Senator of the Federal Republic is unprotected by law enforcement agents, what will be the fate of the ordinary citizens.
The Executive Director called on Ogonis “to be united to fight our common foe by joining the revolution to phase out bad governance and the culture of impunity in the Nigerian State”.
It would be recalled that Pan Ogoni group, KAGOTE, recently, issued a statement against the attack on Senator Magnus Abe, stating that the Ogonis would not fold their arms and watch the decimation of their leaders as was the case under the late General Sani Abacha government.

Taneh Beemene