…Subject Suspects To Oath Taking
…Give Them 14-day Ultimatum To Surrender
…Create Dedicated Phone Nos. To Checkmate Threats
Moved by the lingering cult related killings in Ogoni land especially in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, Ogoni leaders have threatened to ostracize all those fuelling the crisis out of Ogoni land.
The cultists who have also been given 14 days to surrender and borrow a new leaf, were further directed to submit themselves to traditional oaths taking in their respective communities within 14-day ultimatum.
The Ogoni leaders who reached the resolution after a meeting held on Monday at Sakpenwa, headquarters of Tai Local Government Area warned that any person who fails to abide by the decision of the leaders should be declared an enemy of the people and treated as such.
The leaders, comprising elders, political office holders, elected representatives of the people, traditional rulers, chiefs, religious leaders, women and youth groups, condemned the spate of killings, cult wars and other criminal activities in Ogoniland, especially Khana LGA, threatening severe sanction for those who harbor these criminals or host their camp.
The Ogoni leaders in a communiqué raised at the end of the meeting, further resolved that traditional and community leaders, including youth leaders who fail to expose the identities of perpetrators or fail to administer the traditional oaths on their subjects would not only be deposed but treated as accomplices.
Those who signed the communiqué were His Majesty, King G.N.K. Gininwa, Senator (Dr) Bennett Birabi, Chief Kenneth Kobani, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, Ledum mitee and HRH, Godwin Bebe Okpabi.
Others are Rt. Rev (Dr) Solomon S. Gberegbara, Rear Admiral J.N. Bakpo (Rtd), Chief Priscilla Vikue and Dr. Peter Medee.
According to them, a dedicated telephone number has been created and publicized for each Local Government Area, for people to send credible, even if anonymous, actionable information on any threats to security in their area.
“We also resolve to send a high powered delegation of the Ogoni leadership to urgently meet with the government to seek their necessary support to drive the peace process, and in particular, with a view to setting up a Special Task Force to track down and appropriately deal with any person that further engages in such nefarious activities.
“We further resolve to convene a meeting with all youth leaders and youth groups to get their buy in and perspectives and thereafter another Congress in no distant future to reappraise the situation as well as addressing other issues affecting our people”, they said while urging Ogonis to be vigilant and join the new spirit of unity of purpose being ushered into Ogoni.
