Rivers: Ex-Rep Decries High Rate Of Killings In Ogoniland 

A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emmanuel Deeyah, has decried the high rate of killings and general insecurity in communities in Ogoniland, Rivers State

The former federal lawmaker called for further action against those responsible for the current insecurity in Ogoniland of the state.

Deeyah spoke when he visited the chairman of Khana local government area of Rivers State, Dr Thomas Bariere at Bori, over the recent killing of a former chief security officer (CSO) of the LGA, Mr Letam Kiine and other reported killings in Ogoniland.

Kiine was killed when unidentified gunmen swooped along the Kenule Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic Road in Bori, the traditional headquarters of Ogoni people.

Speaking to the council chairman, councillors and workers in the LGA, the former lawmaker condoled them over the loss, expressing confidence on the ability of Bariere to cement security in the area.

Deeyah, who is also chairman of Ogoni Trust Fund (OTF) threw his weight behind the council boss, commended the efforts he was putting to ensure security in the LGA, pointing out that there was period people could not access some communities of the area.

He expressed confidence in the ability of the council boss to nip the recent developments in the bud, advising that sponsors of criminality in the area should be brought to face the full wrath of the law.

The OTF chairman “All these things are distractions. Whoever is causing insecurity in the LGA is wasting his or her time. We will support you. Put your feet down and don’t be scared of anybody. We will surely chase those causing insecurity out. Day and night do not live together.”

Deeyah noted that the LGA chairman has done enough to bring peace in the area, urging those causing insecurity in the area to steer clear.

He said: “Well, this is home for me, and this is also the traditional headquarters of Ogoni. If Bori is not at peace, Ogoni can never be at peace. When I got in, I heard that someone was killed and I felt that it was one thing too much. He has done so much to bring peace to this local government.

“He helped my community to bring peace to that place. So I felt I should come in person to say to him, that we are behind him, we support him, and we like what he is doing and he should continue to do it without fear or favour.

“This is his term. He is the Chairman of Council at this point in time. The authority lies with him to bring peace, if necessary force peace on Khana.

“Well, I think that anybody that is behind this kind of thing, I don’t think these guys sleep well. So if you continue to do this kind of thing, you are in the habit of doing it, there is a time that it will catch up with you. The law, the long arm of the law, will catch up with you.

“That is the thing. I want to say to them that they should resist this. They should stop. Let us all enjoy the peace.

In his remarks, chairman of Khana LGA,  Thomas Bariere, who commended Deeyah, said the visit signified that the people and leadership of the area are in support of his administration.

Bariere said it was time when the council would come all out to put to stop insecurity in the area, noting that those causing insecurity are the same people pushing to be chief security officers of the LGA.

He said: “It is time when we say enough is enough on the killings in Khana Local Government Area.

“You cannot be a source of insecurity and at the same time you are requesting to be part of those who want to provide security. You cannot fool all the people all the time.

“Our assurance to the people of Khana is that the killing is too many and we will deploy the resources of the LGA to fish out the culprit and make them face the full wrath of law.”