Too much blood has been shed in Rivers State, Chairman, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Prof Chidi Odinkalu has said.
He spoke on Monday in Port Harcourt during a visit to the Greater Together Campaign office of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Dr Dakuku Peterside.
Odinkalu, who is on a fact-finding mission to Rivers State, was accompanied by members of the commission’s governing council.
Peterside told the NHRC delegation that in the last one year, no fewer than 30 people have been killed in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area. Odinkalu said: “Rivers State is my home because I have families here and they are on both sides of the divide. I wish to offer my condolences because a lot of blood has been shed. It does not matter where you belong but at the end of the day, those killed are our brothers and sisters. We didn’t want to sit in Abuja and assume that we know what is happening through twitter. We are here because we want to see both campaigns. We also want to see evidence of those who were killed. Do we have names and documents? Can we get a sense of what is happening? Do we have records?
“We will see the Commissioner of Police for more details. There is no alternative to civil and democratic governance and Rivers State is strategic in this respect. That is why we wish to start from here. Our role is not to take sides. We are all worried, not just because we have families and friends; if we don’t have a country that exists, we can’t even do politics, we can’t do public service or think of improving our country. That is the spirit of this visit, to engage and try to understand the issues. Nobody wants a situation when we end elections and the country is not governed or stable enough. We must all work to see how we can pull ourselves back to a place of civility and minimise violence. And we must rise to the challenge of protecting our country by ensuring that we are committed to a better country.
“Now in the latest incident in Okrika, we had a man in uniform killed. It is unacceptable… We are going to visit PDP campaign office, Rivers State police command and INEC to ensure the end of incessant attack in the state.”
The NHRC chief said it was unfortunate that those killed and those whose properties have been damaged are citizens of this state, adding that politicians can only govern when the society is stable.
Peterside, on behalf of his party and the campaign organisation, thanked Odinkalu for his commission’s interest in the crisis in Rivers State, adding that his supporters would not consider reprisal attacks no matter the provocation.
He said: “I am sure that before coming to Rivers State, you must have received – with mixed feelings – our stories of political violence. These negative stories appear to have overshadowed the achievements of this government. Your visit, I must say, will show you that we are peace-loving people. When we experience one form of violence in one part of the country, the ripple effects are felt in other parts of the country. So, it is in our best enlightened interest to ensure that whenever it occurs, we put a check for the good of all of us.
“In the last few weeks, most of you would have read about Rivers State with the political violence, kidnapping, robbery, killing and one conflict or the other. It appears that the negative stories have dropped our accomplishments and the successes we have recorded.”
“I must commend your commission for this intervention. This effort to help monitor and curtail this distressing degree of human rights abuses is most welcome because lives are wasted daily. I was shocked to discover that in less than one year in one local government area alone (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni), we lost 30 persons to political violence.
“In Okrika, you would have read in the papers that we are not allowed to campaign there. Similar scenario is playing out in Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area. I am told, though unconfirmed that some chiefs in Okrika issued an order barring us from coming to campaign in Okrika and I am wondering if Okrika is not part of Rivers State. “
Peterside urged politicians to eschew bitterness in their quest for power. He said power only comes from God, urging them to appeal to voters with their programmes rather than resorting to intimidation and violence.
He presented to Odinkalu his manifesto titled Road Map to Prosperity and documents on the violence in Rivers State.
