*Says act war against Nigerian state
By; KELVIN OKPARA, Enugu
A body, under the banner of Nigeria’s Peace and Development Advocates (NPDA), has advocated declaration of state of emergency on any territory with implicit support of local authorities wittingly or unwittingly taken up arms against the Nigerian state, insisting on thorough investigation on the recent brutal murder of seventeen officers and soldiers at Okuama Community of Delta State.
The non governmental organization made the call on Wednesday in Enugu, while briefing newsmen on the gruesome murder of the officers by youth of Okuama and suspected sponsored militants.
The text of the briefing, tagged: ‘Justice for the murdered 17 Soldiers in the interest of national security’ was jointly signed by the national coordinator and Secretary, Barrister Foster Ugwuoke
National Coordinator of the group, Hon. Chukwunonye Okereke, who read the group’s communique on behalf of it’s members, stated that the development is the most unacceptable act of treason and in clear terms, an act against the Nigerian State.
He maintained that the soldiers have paid the ultimate price in the war between Nigeria and its plunderers in the oil rich Niger Delta.
The National Coordinator further noted that, what is going on in Niger Delta is mindless criminality of oil bunkerers, adding that, “the mousing owls have begun to hawk on our gallant officers to give way for their continued divestments of our collective patrimony in the Niger Delta.”
He added that they have watched with dismay how opinion moulders and public affair analysts allegedly sponsored by these actors have carried out mindless dance on the graves of the slain soldiers.
“These characters who sometimes masquerade as national figures have so mindlessly done on flimsy and unfounded arguments brought forward on national television. We state without fear of equivocation that such support for the opprobrious carnage and brigandage is tantamount an “accessory after the fact” of the treason felony.
” Let us be clear, the original crime and subsequent support are treason felonies and clear declaration of war on Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We make bold to state that it is meant to cause fear on the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and to decimate the symbol of authority of the Nigerian state (soldiers) carrying out authorised legitimate military operation.
“When these sponsored commentators ask what were the Nigeria soldiers doing in Okuama, one begins to wonder whether it is not in the public domain that Nigeria military is involved in internal security operations throughout the country.
“It is understandable that soldiers of “Operation Delta Safe” in the ordinary course of duty. were in Okuama to interface with the elders to secure the release of a Nigerian that was taken hostage by Okuama youth, unknown to them that people in authority insulated by immunity had authorised their massacre to intimidate the Nigerian state and instill fear in the Commander in Chief, thereby making Nigeria ungovernable for their selfish political and economic gains.
“We therefore, cannot allow the president and the Nigerian state to be intimidated and reduced to a banana republic where people who enjoy the instrument of power are using their resources to intimidate the state.
“So if non-state actors or other psuedo usurpers are allowed unfettered control on Nigerian territories to continually mete such criminality on Nigerians and worse still, the Nigerian military, then Nigeria is as good as gone.
“The fact that wanted culprits are reportedly taking refuge in Government Houses, particularly Governor’s lodge has sent the Nigeria’s Peace and Development Advocates worrying as it points to the direction from where the war drum sounds.
“it is our understanding that the immunity provided by the constitution in section 308 is not an immunity against the state and does not absolve anyone who declares war against the state of Nigeria.
“Therefore, the immunity of a person in office does not operate against the sovereign integrity of the federal Republic of Nigeria.
“What happened in Okuama community on the 14th of March, 2024, was an unprovoked act of war against the state of Nigeria and a violation of her sovereignty.”
Okereke, demanded that thorough investigation be carried out to unmask the faces behind the current treason, stating that they were certain that the militant youths did not act on their own volition.
“That anyone found culpable no matter how highly placed be timeously brought to face the wrath of the law.
“If anyone found culpable is currently enjoying immunity, that such person be stripped of his immunity with immediate effect and all his security details withdrawn as the person cannot declare war against the Federal Republic of Nigeria and still enjoys protection of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”
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