August 24, 2007

 

PRESS RELEASE

                           

No To State Of Emergency in Rivers State

 

Transformation 2007, the official campaign organization for the actualization of the Khalga Chairmanship aspiration of Anslem D. John-Miller, commend President Yar'Adua and Governor Celestine Omehia for the efforts taken so far to restore peace in Rivers State and urge all well-meaning citizens of the state and the country at large to support the efforts of the government by volunteering information on the whereabouts of any unscrupulous elements and their sponsors that have terrorized, killed, and maimed innocent and law-abiding citizens of the state in the course of their nefarious activities.

 

The youths who have resorted to kidnapping and disrupting commercial activities in the state have abandoned the genuine and legitimate demands of the Niger Delta people for a just and equitable distribution of oil revenue and development of the region. Thus, they are common criminals and enemies of the Niger Delta people and not freedom fighters hence they should all be flushed out of their hiding places and made to face the consequences of their actions in courts of competent jurisdiction.

 

Our campaign organization also call on the President Yar'Adua to shun the call for the declaration of a state of Emergency in Rivers State by a few individuals because such a declaration was uncalled for at this time that security forces have been deplored and are restoring peace in the state.

 

We challenge those individuals calling for the declaration of state of Emergency to do the right thing by admitting that these youths who have resorted to all sorts of atrocities in the name of seeking justice for the Niger Delta are common criminals and  and since the primary function of government is to maintain law and order as well as protect lives and properties, any steps taken by the government is in order and any inconveniences suffered by the law abiding citizens of the state should be blamed on these criminals.

 

Transformation 2007 Campaign enjoin the security forces to extend their operations to the various communities in Rivers State and arrest all those criminals linked with kidnappings and other hi-tech criminal activities in the local areas and prosecute them without any delay in accordance with relevant laws.

 

Finally, we appeal to the Federal and State governments and the military authorities to ensure that the soldiers deployed to keep the peace in Rivers State and its environ act according to their mandate and not engage in acts of extortion and violation of the human rights and dignity of the citizenry.

 

 

Eddy Kaka

Campaign Director