OKUAMA & OLOTA: LET’S PUT A FACE TO OUR POSITION, BY ZIK GBEMRE

At least as a social justice campaigner, I have a face, identity and voice. When military forces disguise and do good advocacies for the exploitable Nigeria military, I can understand the sentiments.

There is no justification for pronouncing and condemning people criminal in jungle justice and believing people will clap for you, knowing how much aiding and abetting same military are known for and have been accused of giving to the so called criminals.

No restraint to exercise when after a doubtful “peace mission” gone awry for a compromised military meddling in civilian conflicts, same military should in vengeful rage become judge and prosecutor, enjoying impunity to kill and destroy innocent lives why the prime target are left to walk free.

The military is not in any position under any law to declare people criminals. The military cannot try civilians under military laws. And the universal norm is that a suspect is deemed right before the law till proven guilty. This organised campaign to blackmail Niger Delta communities has got to stop.

The Nigerian military has no integrity and are dumb to media attacks. Otherwise Okuama could not have been pushed into extinction despite repeated media outcry to let the innocent residents breathe while they probe for culprits.

I condemn criminality of all sorts but the truth is that Nigerian politicians including Tinubu encourage/promote violent criminals.The wealthiest youths in Nigeria are violent criminals. You know them.

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Asari Dokubo is going about with sophisticated weapons. He doesn’t hide it. He was given the rare privilege to address the nation at the Presidential Chambers as a president of Nigeria. He boasted that he was hired by Buhari’s led administration to fight Boko Haram.

And so what? The more violent the more recognition you are accorded. Asari Dokubo wines and dines with who is who in Nigeria. How are we sure those weapons were recovered by the military? They could also staged managed the discovery of armoury if really they are.

Whoever that is caught wanting should be dealt with according to laws of this country. I don’t support criminality. The violent people are all over in the country. MC Oluomo, Sunday Igboho from the South West in Yoruba land of Nigeria are there and well recognised by the those in power. The more violent the more recognition by those politicians who use them for elections.

The truth remains that the military should confine themselves to the barracks and fight terrorism in the northern Nigeria. The military should allow Nigerian police to do its work. There is no job soldiers will do the Nigerian police can’t do better in internal security and civilian disagreements in local communities.

Till date the military has not been able to answer the question of the ‘questionable peace mission in Okuama’. Who sent Major D.E Obi and his solders from Utorogu Gas Plant to Okuama for ‘questionable peace mission?’

I see the Olota invasion and discovery of armouries in Olota as stage manged to justify their ‘questionable failed peace mission in Okuama’. There was no justification for the soldiers to go to Okuama in the first instance since no war in Okuama of Ughelli South LGA and Okoloba of Bomadi LGA of Delta state. What was their mission to Okuama?

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The military should concentrate efforts to end banditry, boko haram and herdsmen kilings in Northern Nigeria rather than using the oil rich Delta state as a farm yard to harvest oil theft money. The south south can be handled by the Nigerian police if need be. Delta state is safe.

“Make dem go fight terrorism in the North where farmers can’t go to farm any longer”. The video trending online of burnt bridges by herdsmen kiling people everyday in Apa LGA Benue state is there in the internet.

I have repeatedly said the military are majorly involved in illegal bunkering and have escalated illegal bunkering. We hear soldiers and their commanders lobby to be posted to Delta state because of what they gain from illegal bunkering.

Why are the military commanders and military officers not lobbying to be posted to terrorist zones in the northern Nigeria where they kill farmers and abduct school children every day?

“Na Delta state money dey to shop, na so.”
Tinubu must call his military to order and stop invading peaceful communities. Tinubu should know that he was elected by the law . TInubu didn’t come by gun. He should stop invading peaceful communities with his military.

The Nigerian police should be empowered to handle all civilian matters and not military. The US and Russia militaries have not taken power from their police. Tinubu should be seen as a civilian leader and not a military dictator and stop all forms of military display of might with civilians.

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Zik Gbemre, is a public affairs analyst