WHEN WILL THIS MADNESS STOP IN NIGERIA

It started with the igbos MOSSOB now a faction of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) led by former President of the National Youth Council of Ogoni People (NYCOP), Goodluck Diigbo yesterday declared self-government for the people of Ogoni, in Rivers State.

In a statement made available to leadership in Port Harcourt, Diigbo said that the self-government within Nigeria would secure indigenous rights for the people of ogoni and enable them to meet their needs and interests as well as bring an end to colonialism.

In a swift reaction, the spokesman of the Nigeria police, CSP frank MBA, said that the police were not aware of the development. “I’m not aware of it. The Nigerian nation still remains intact to the best of my knowledge,” he said.

Diigbo’s statement read in parts; “by this declaration of political autonomy, we, the Ogoni people are determined to enforce the United Nations declaration on rights of indigenous peoples, without fear or retreat.

“Concerned that in the absence of a responsive government that the indigenous people of Ogoni will continue to suffer from historic injustices, in order to make indigenous rights practicable in Ogoni, we have through a very transparent electoral college process:

“Beginning with community by community elections, set up 272 village councils, while the village councils in turn elected representatives for 33 district councils and the district representatives went on to elect representatives to serve at the centre as custodians of customs and traditions, otherwise called lawmakers.

Meanwhile, effort to get the reaction of the Rivers State government on the declaration of self government by a faction of MOSOP proved abortive as both the Commissioner of Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Seminatari and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. David Iyofor neither picked their phone calls nor replied the sms sent to them by LEADERSHIP.

Also, when contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Benjamin Ugwuegbulem could not react to the development as he told our reporter on phone that he was driving as at the time of the call and would call back later.