Concerned Ijaw Youths yesterday sent a protest letter to the
Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo over alleged Federal
Government breach of the Peace accord reached with the people of
the Niger Delta region over stop to attacks of nation’s oil
facility and the release of high profile suspects arrested from the
region.
The concerned Ijaw Youths, under the umbrella of the Ijaw
Youths Council (IYC) worldwide said though the people of the region
are consciously keeping their part of the bargain with the existing
peace and increased in oil production,the continued detention of
Niger Deltans in the custody of the Directorate of State Security
Services without trial amounts to a breach of the Niger Delta peace
process.
The IYC, in a statement signed by its President, Comrade Eric
Omare, said the continued detention of ex-militant leader, Mr. Sely
Kile Torugbedi (alias Young Shall Grow), Ijaw activist, Mr. Daniel
Ezekiel, the IYC Abuja chapter Spokesman, Alex Odogu, Yenagoa based
journalist, Jones Abiri and some others despite various Court
orders and without tril is provocative and triggering tension.
According to the IYC,” It would be recall that during the fact
finding and confidence building tour of the Niger Delta region by
Acting President Yemi Osinbanjo, the people of the Niger Delta made
a case for the release of those in detention in relation to the
renewed militancy in the region and government promised to look
into the case and indeed released some Niger Delta ex-agitators
that were in detention.”
” However, the DSS has continued to detain some other Niger
Deltans and in some cases even when there is a court order
directing that they be released.” “The case of ex-militant leader,
Mr. Sely Kile Torugbedi (alias Young Shall Grow) is most pathetic
and unjust. The Federal High Court, Abuja presided over by the
Honourable Justice Nnamdi Dimgba on the 5th of August, 2016 made an
order for the immediate release of Mr. Torugbedi (alias Young Shall
Grow) from DSS custody.
However, almost a year after the order was made, the DSS is
still holding Mr. Torugbedi in custody despite the fact that they
were represented in court by a Legal Practitioner, O. J. Odu, Esq.”
“The DSS has extended same treatment to Ijaw activist, Mr. Daniel
Ezekiel where they have bluntly refused to attend court at the
Federal High Court, Warri despite several hearing notices served on
them at the DSS headquarters at Abuja.
So many other Niger Deltans like IYC Abuja chapter Spokesman,
Alex Odogu, Yenagoa based journalist, Jones Abiri and some others
have been in detention for more than a year without trial.” The IYC
stated that the conduct of the DSS amounts to a breach of the Niger
Delta peace process,”These persons were all arrested in connection
with the Niger Delta agitations and since government has decided to
adopt a negotiated settlement of the Niger Delta agitation, these
persons ought to be released as part of the peace process. It even
amounts to breach of trust for government to promise peaceful
dialogue while at the same time unnecessarily keeping people in
detention” “The leaders of the Niger Delta region have done their
part by restoring relative peace in the region and now it is up to
the federal government to sustain it.”
“Therefore, the IYC calls on Acting President, Yemi Osinbanjo to
as a matter of urgency and in the interest of the Niger Delta peace
process order the release of ex-militant leader, Mr. Sely Kile
Torugbedi (alias Young Shall Grow), Ijaw activist: Daniel Ezekiel,
IYC Abuja Spokesman: Alex Odogu, Jones Abiri and all other Niger
Deltans in DSS custody in relation to the Niger Delta hostilities.”
“Acting President, Yemi Osinbanjo should note that his reputation
is on trial in the face of these violations of human rights as a
law professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Nigerians and the
international community are watching!”
Concerned Ijaw Youths yesterday sent a protest letter to the
Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo over alleged Federal
Government breach of the Peace accord reached with the people of
the Niger Delta region over stop to attacks of nation’s oil
facility and the release of high profile suspects arrested from the
region.
The concerned Ijaw Youths, under the umbrella of the Ijaw
Youths Council (IYC) worldwide said though the people of the region
are consciously keeping their part of the bargain with the existing
peace and increased in oil production,the continued detention of
Niger Deltans in the custody of the Directorate of State Security
Services without trial amounts to a breach of the Niger Delta peace
process.
The IYC, in a statement signed by its President, Comrade Eric
Omare, said the continued detention of ex-militant leader, Mr. Sely
Kile Torugbedi (alias Young Shall Grow), Ijaw activist, Mr. Daniel
Ezekiel, the IYC Abuja chapter Spokesman, Alex Odogu, Yenagoa based
journalist, Jones Abiri and some others despite various Court
orders and without tril is provocative and triggering tension.
According to the IYC,” It would be recall that during the fact
finding and confidence building tour of the Niger Delta region by
Acting President Yemi Osinbanjo, the people of the Niger Delta made
a case for the release of those in detention in relation to the
renewed militancy in the region and government promised to look
into the case and indeed released some Niger Delta ex-agitators
that were in detention.”
” However, the DSS has continued to detain some other Niger
Deltans and in some cases even when there is a court order
directing that they be released.” “The case of ex-militant leader,
Mr. Sely Kile Torugbedi (alias Young Shall Grow) is most pathetic
and unjust. The Federal High Court, Abuja presided over by the
Honourable Justice Nnamdi Dimgba on the 5th of August, 2016 made an
order for the immediate release of Mr. Torugbedi (alias Young Shall
Grow) from DSS custody.
However, almost a year after the order was made, the DSS is
still holding Mr. Torugbedi in custody despite the fact that they
were represented in court by a Legal Practitioner, O. J. Odu, Esq.”
“The DSS has extended same treatment to Ijaw activist, Mr. Daniel
Ezekiel where they have bluntly refused to attend court at the
Federal High Court, Warri despite several hearing notices served on
them at the DSS headquarters at Abuja.
So many other Niger Deltans like IYC Abuja chapter Spokesman,
Alex Odogu, Yenagoa based journalist, Jones Abiri and some others
have been in detention for more than a year without trial.” The IYC
stated that the conduct of the DSS amounts to a breach of the Niger
Delta peace process,”These persons were all arrested in connection
with the Niger Delta agitations and since government has decided to
adopt a negotiated settlement of the Niger Delta agitation, these
persons ought to be released as part of the peace process. It even
amounts to breach of trust for government to promise peaceful
dialogue while at the same time unnecessarily keeping people in
detention” “The leaders of the Niger Delta region have done their
part by restoring relative peace in the region and now it is up to
the federal government to sustain it.”
“Therefore, the IYC calls on Acting President, Yemi Osinbanjo to
as a matter of urgency and in the interest of the Niger Delta peace
process order the release of ex-militant leader, Mr. Sely Kile
Torugbedi (alias Young Shall Grow), Ijaw activist: Daniel Ezekiel,
IYC Abuja Spokesman: Alex Odogu, Jones Abiri and all other Niger
Deltans in DSS custody in relation to the Niger Delta hostilities.”
“Acting President, Yemi Osinbanjo should note that his reputation
is on trial in the face of these violations of human rights as a
law professor and Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Nigerians and the
international community are watching!”