Group, CLO disagree over deployment of soldiers in Ogoni

Members of the Ogoni Generation Next Project (OGNP) yesterday disagreed with the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) over the presence of soldiers in Ogoni, Rivers State.

Representatives of both groups stated their position when they appeared before members of the Rima Shawulu-led House of Representatives Committee on Army probing alleged rights violation by security agents in Ogoni land.

OGNP’s facilitator, Kadilo Kabari prayed the lawmakers to ensure the continuous presence of security agencies to protect the people of Ogoni against violence allegedly perpetrated by Solomon Ndigbara and his gang, which led to the loss of many lives and destruction of property worth millions of naira.

Accusing the CLO of being used for political motives in Ogoni, OGNP wondered why the group blackmailed Senator Magnus Abe, Mr. Barry Mpigi and other Ogoni leaders as masterminds of the violence perpetrated against the people.

The group said: “The CLO is not more than a sponsored group working for the political interest of certain individuals in Rivers. Hence it has looked the other way as Ogoni continued to bleed. Curiously there have been several military operations in the state which had led to the recovery of large amounts of arms and ammunition.

“Why has the CLO South-South not petitioned the military in other flash points of Rivers State where violence has been on the rise? We submit that the organisation is an arm of a political party which has consistently blackmailed the Nigerian Army in order to pave the way for the unhindered operation of the militia of that political party.”

However, the head of CLO, Mr. Livingston Uwechue insisted that soldiers be withdrawn from Ogoni land, adding that its position was premised on the need to stop them from raiding communities in the area and other parts of the South-South.