DON’T CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE OF FEAR AND PANIC IN GBARAMATU, GBENEKAMA TELLS MILITARY

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PRESS STATEMENT

We wish to inform Nigerians and particularly the international community of a hovering aircraft and military personnel presence in Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.

The military men who arrived the community today June 26, 2017 have been patrolling strategic areas such as the Palace of our Monarch, our guest house and other area thereby causing panic in the community and by extension our dear kingdom.

We wish to unequivocally state that this action by the Nigerian military is in variance with the Federal Government recent promise to maintaining lasting peace in the Niger Delta region and particularly the Gbaramatu kingdom. No doubt dispatch of security personnel to a particular area is to checkmate unlawful activities, forestall break down of law and order. This is far from Gbaramatu, the kingdom is peaceful, there is no breakdown of law and order neither are there any illegal activities going on hence our bewilderment. We wish to further state that this present action by the military may rather result to the unexpected. 

We wish to categorically state that Gbaramatu people are peaceful and law abiding and we hereby reiterate our commitment to the Federal Government of Nigeria, her security agencies and the general public at large that we are committed to creating an enabling environment and sustaining the relative peace that is needed to attract development and progress to our dear kingdom.

More so, we wish to state that we cannot afford to experience another 2009 experience whose loss we are yet to recuperate from. We cannot afford any break down of law and order at this period when the most expected Nigerian Maritime University, NMU Okerenkoko is expected to start academic activities this September, whose activities we believe would bring about the needful development we have been yearning for in the Kingdom for years.

We are calling on the Federal Government and the security agencies not to create an atmosphere of panic and fear in the hearts of the indigenes of our kingdom who are yet to recover from the  psychological trauma occasioned by the 2009 bombardment by the same Nigerian military. At this juncture, it is imperative the Federal Government withdraw all military personnel dispatched to our kingdom.

We are committed to  partnering with the Federal Government in ensuring that the region is developed for the betterment of all and sundry which would invariably bring about the most needed peace.

Signed:

Chief Godspower Gbenekama
The Ibe-benemowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom
FOR: Gbaramatu Traditional Council of Chiefs

 

 

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