Stop The Violent Anti-Nigeria Protests In Rivers State

By Solomon Okocha
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The Patriots Alliance (TPA), hereby condemn in its entirety the incessant violent anti-Nigeria protests that rocked Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for some days, up till yesterday. We distance every Rivers son and daughter from what is clearly a declaration of war on the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

As law abiding citizens, we believe that any group within Nigeria who wants an autonomous country of their own, should endeavour to maintain a peaceful disposition while going about it. We also believe that while they are agitating for their so called freedom, the rights and privileges of other citizens of Nigeria must be respected. We completely frown at a situation where citizens and residents of Rivers State are manhandled and intimidated in the guise of secessionists protests.

For the records, at no time did the multi-ethnic nationalities of Rivers State subscribe to any separatists ideology. The people of Rivers State wholeheartedly believe in the non-negotiable unity of Nigeria, therefore, anybody or group of persons who imports strange supremacist and secessionist distractions to our peaceful shores, has decided to be tagged as a dangerous rebel.

The people of Iwhuoroha, Wakirike, Etche, Kalabari, Abua, Ibani, Ekpeye, Ogba, Eleme, Ogoni, Obolo etc. have always lived together peacefully in Rivers State, and we have always maintained our unflinching loyalty to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Let it be known to those who unnecessarily fan the embers of discord, that we have no other country than Nigeria, and we are not about to destroy that age long position with any mundane, malicious, and premature agitation for division.

We thank the Rivers State Commissioner of Police and his men for their response so far, although we expect them to quail this insurrection with a more tactical approach next time, knowing that the lives and properties of Rivers people are at stake here. Our appreciation also goes to the Nigerian Army for their solid show of force. We frown at the belated address by the Governor of Rivers State, banning the violent protests in Rivers State, we had expected a more proactive approach to such indiscretion.

For the purposes of peace and security of other ethnic Nationalities who live and do business in Rivers State, we shall desist from expounding further on this matter. The ashes and scars that were left on our land after the Nigerian civil war, are still very visible in the minds of those who know history. We know the atrocities that were carried out against our people by those who want to own our land by all means. We know it all. Nobody should remind us of our pain.

Solomon Okocha
For: The Patriots Alliance
[email protected]
Wednesday 11, 2015

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