The Akuku-Toru Local Government Council has unequivocally condemned what they described as a siege by the Nigerian Army against its citizens on Saturday which led to the killing of over 17 people with more than 300 persons arrested, amid razing down of several homes and properties.
The Council also denied allegations by the Army that Executive Chairman, Hon. Rowland Sekibo was one of the masterminds of the shooting which reportedly claimed the life of an army Lieutenant, in the coastal community.
Hon. Sekibo in a statement by his Press Secretary on Monday, said it was rather the military which allegedly attacked supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when they resisted one Mr. Christian Don-Pedro who reportedly came with soldiers to cart away electoral materials at Abonnema.
The AKULGA boss wondered why the military would claim the killing of an army Lieutenant, when according to him; PDP supporters who came out on the said date to exercise their franchise ‘lacked the capacity to confront a well-equipped army in a gun battle’.
Adding that the youths only prevented the snatching of electoral materials to protect their votes and democracy, the Council Chairman called on the military to check their source of information and correct what they saw as an erroneous and ill-conceived allegation against him.
Sekibo also condemned the wanton destruction of lives and properties, mass arrest of innocent and law abiding citizens of the area, calling on well-meaning Nigerians and the international community to call the military to order in their continued search, molestation and victimization of innocent and law abiding citizens of the area.
He said the action of the soldiers smacked of genocide against a defenseless people, stressing that the siege on Abonnema is still on despite the wanton destruction of lives and properties in the area.
The AKULGA Chairman however urged the people to remain law abiding despite the provocation and intimidation by the APC-led thugs and the soldiers.
