The people of Inikorogha, a community in Ovia South West of Edo State have asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to quickly intervention over what they called ‘forceful’ and ‘illegal’ displacement of leaders and elders of the area from their homes.
The Community in a statement accused one Godstime Ogidigba who works for the Executive Governor of Edo State of using police and other security agencies in the state to unleash violence on all the significant members of the All Progressive Congress in the community.
According to Hon. Timi Robert, the Community Chairman who signed the statement, trouble started when they were approached for negotiations to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but they bluntly turned down every offer from the negotiators.
He said, when several attempts to persuade them failed, the state governor and the said Godstime Ogidigba resorted to the use of force to intimidate and harass leaders in the community making them vulnerable to all manners of molestation and dehumanization.
Robert added that though they tried to put up resistance by seeking redress from governmental institutions, but all attempts yielded only but a brief relief as the said attacks continued through different means; applying various methods.
He said, “We want justice to prevail and adequate payment made for all the damages they have caused us, which include but not limited to the destruction of our homes, farmlands, vehicles, and other valuable property.”
FULL STATEMENT:
INIKOROGHA COMMUNITY IN OVIA SOUTH WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE CALLED ON MR. PRESIDENT ON AN ILLEGAL AND FORCEFUL DISPLACEMENT OF INDIGENES, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND ELDERS FROM THEIR HOME.
We passionately wish to bring to the notice of His Excellency, the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, that a good number of indigenes, leaders, and elders of Inikorogha Community in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State have been brutalized and forcefully chased out of their community by Godstime Ogidigba who works for the Executive Governor of Edo State and who uses the police and other security agencies in the state through the help of APC Sani Fodio in Edo State police Headquarters and SP Williams Waba, the CSO in the Edo State Government House to unleash violence on all the significant members of the All Progressive Congress in the community.
We were approached for negotiations to join the Peoples Democratic Party and we bluntly turned down every offer from the negotiators. When several attempts to persuade us failed, the state governor and the said Godstime Ogidigba resorted to the use of force to intimidate and harass us. We became vulnerable to all manners of molestation and dehumanization. We tried to put up resistance by seeking redress from governmental institutions, but all our attempts yielded only but a brief relief as they continued to attack us through different means; applying various methods. The more we cried out for help, the worse our situation became. We have written to the police but to no avail. This is why we decided to reach you through the media, Mr President.
On 22nd March 2022, the community was shut down by unnumbered persons from various security agencies, several people were physically injured while others ran for their lives. There were other raids in 2022 whereby a few important APC members were illegally arrested and unlawfully detained. On 25th February 2023, the community was woken by the unimaginable brutality that greeted those who are perceived as the enemies of the present PDP-led administration. So many people were left in near-death conditions, while many others were taken as war captives to the state police command. We thought that we have seen it all. On the 29th of May 2023, while our youths and women were celebrating the victory and swearing-in of Mr. President, the thugs of the same Ogidigba Godstime disrupted the celebration. They equally harassed and beat up those who lead the celebration in the community.
However, on 12th April 2023 we were confronted with a complete war situation in which the same Godstime Ogidigba was accompanied by battalions of hooligans, Sunday Kiriya, Daniel Ezekiel, Henry Okame, Perewei Kriya, Marvin, Tamaran Alfred, Friday Nanye Gbale, Okachukwu Amobi, Sunday Idolor Arogbowei, Markson Idolor, Omoru Lobito Eniotonghan, Tulupu Lobito Emotorighan, Tiuebi Gbalie, Tunekibe Aloho Ebosa, Dietei Esua, Ezekiel Benson, Ebipatei Gin Ebiere, Gabriel Togi Obiriki, Chief Raphael Edward, Godday Eyiteme, Ebi Selelie, Joseph Gbale Ebi, Philip Polo, Famous Bajie, Charles Gbale and policemen from the Edo State Government House; carrying a petition with unnumbered warrants of arrest bearing the names of all their perceived enemies and the leaders and Chieftains of the All Progressive Congress in Inikorogha Ward
10. It was at this point we became displaced in the community and have remained in exile to date.
Mr. President, we appeal to the milk of humanity in you to use your powers as the president and commander in chief of the Armed Forces to see to our relocation and proper settlement back to the land of our birth, evacuation of police Hilux Vans stations in our community and the militant group. We want justice to prevail and adequate payment made for all the damages they have caused us, which include but are not limited to the destruction of our homes, farmlands, farm products, vehicles, and other valuable property. We look forward to seeing a quick response from you, Mr. President and Commander in Chief of Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
