Gross Violation Of Human Rights By Governor Amaechi
The Foundation for Peace and Nonviolence in Nigeria (FOFPEN), formerly known as Niger Delta Nonviolent Movement, has lambasted the Governor of Rivers state, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, for dragging the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu Joseph to the National Human Rights Commission in Abuja, describing his actions as an irony while accusing him of violating many citizens' rights with impunity, in his capacity as the governor of the state.
The group in a statement issued by the Secretary of the Abuja Chapter, Mr. Darlington Ekeanyanwu, said it is an irony for a man who has no regard for his fellow citizens' rights to now turn around to accuse the Commissioner of Police of violating his own rights.
“The founder of the group was a victim of the governor's high handedness and human right abuses, and he has now petitioned the governor to the Human Rights Commission for sundry violation of his rights,” he said.
Mr. Ekeanyanwu accused the governor of being intoxicated with power, which he unleashed on Mr. Erekosima by demolishing his family's three-story building in Port Harcourt because of the latter's principled stand on amnesty for militants, chasing him out of the city and framing him with a traffic offence as well as detaining him on that account.
He said the governor also went after Ateke Tom by planting a cache of arms at Okochiri in Okrika to incriminate him (Ateke). The group said till date nobody has accounted for the cache of arms that CP Mbu mentioned had been carted away by ex-militants in one of his interviews, stressing that he believes they may be the same weapons the governor planted in Okochiri to implicate Ateke Tom.
He called on security agencies to place Governor Amaechi on security watch list, pointing out that it is in the character of Amaechi to whip up sentiments and attract sympathy, stage-managing of violent activities that will then be blamed on his opponents.
The Foundation added that the despicable frame up of Ateke Tom resulted in the loss of several lives in the state when armed soldiers opened fire on innocent civilians in the name of hunting down militants. It said it is still a surprise that the governor's response then was to insist on the deployment of armed soldiers in Rivers state just to subdue the peaceful option which was the proclamation of Amnesty in order to solve the crisis at the time.
“Amaechi went ahead with this plot even after former President Obasanjo had pardoned Ateke Tom, Asari Dokubo and their boys, and was bent on nailing Ateke and others without regard to their fundamental human rights.”
The leader of the group (Mr. Erekosima) revealed how the late Soboma George informed him (Erekosima) that the governor became angry when he learnt that Ateke Tom and he (Soboma George) had been reconciled by him (Erekosima) and calling on the Human Rights Commission to thoroughly investigate the cache of arms and ammunition planted at Okochiri to know who planted them there. He has formally submitted the petition tagged, “Violation of My Human Rights By The Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi”, to the National Human Rights Commission dated October 29 2013 and has been invited to defend his petition which he has done and now awaits further invitations by the Commission.
The group stated that the governor was not sincere about fighting criminality but was out to get back at his political opponents and their supporters. It commended the police commissioner for demonstrating professionalism and neutrality, adding that the governor is looking for a commissioner who would do his bidding at all times, be at his beck and call and use him to get at his political enemies in the state.
On the latest happenings in Port Harcourt, FOFPEN advised well-meaning Nigerians not to be deceived by the antics of Governor Amaechi; calling on them to look very closely at his activities and not be hoodwinked by his claims of not being allowed to carry out his functions as governor of the state. It stressed that Amaechi does not have the interest of anyone at heart except his own.
“We are prepared to go to any length to prove that the Amaechi government has killed more people than any other previously elected government in recent times,” citing several encounters its leader had with the governor that threatened his (Erekosima) life, as well as that of the Senate President when the Governor planted the cache of arms during the latter's visit to Ateke on March 10, 2008.
The group asked the public to watch video clips of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission sittings in 2008 on www.youtube.com/fofpenngo channel, titled: EREKOSIMA VS. GOV. AMAECHI; WHO LIED? THE FINAL SHOWDOWN.
The Foundation said that the unity of Nigeria is paramount and should not be undermined by any governor, individuals or group of persons, stressing their resolve to continue to preach the message of peace and nonviolence around the federation.
Long live the people of Rivers State. Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Nigeria Unbreakable. We are one.
Ekeanyanwu J. C. Darlington
Secretary, Abuja Chapter
Foundation For Peace and Nonviolence in Nigeria - FOFPEN
www.fofpen.org.ng | peaceforall@fofpen.org.ng