Is Kelvin a Criminal or Militant? Posted on 04th Oct 2013 under HOT NEWS. …a leader of “a bunch of criminals” – Gov. Uduaghan …the system rewards criminals, so Kelvin is a militant – Barr. Ogedegbe …a criminal who metamorphosed into a Robinhood – Chief Gbinije …he is not different from other militants, but… - Comrade Ozobo Author: By Omafume Amurun The recent arrest of Kelvin Oniara, alleged to be a notorious kidnapper and armed robber has generated a lot of reactions from different segments of the society with indigenes of Kokori where he hails from, condemning the current siege on the their community despite the arrest of Kelvin, his deputy and a man claimed to be the community’s Chief Priest. Reports reaching the Urhobo Times alleged that although Kokori Town was currently deserted, there is massive breaking into houses by soldiers and looting of properties. The few people who were courageous enough to remain in the community were being indiscriminately harassed and molested by soldiers. At a press conference last weekend, the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan advised people in Kokori in Ethiope East Local Government Area to stay indoors most of the time in order to enable security operatives carry out a thorough sanitisation of the area. He said the decision was taken at an emergency state security meeting, held last Thursday, at the Government House Annex Warri, involving the Army, the Police and the Department of State Security (DSS) as well as other local agencies. Urhobo Times can authoritatively report that the Kelvin was arrested in a hotel in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, last week Tuesday morning after he agreed to lay down his arms for amnesty promised him by some agents of the government. It will be recalled that about a week ago, his group issued a 60-day ultimatum to the Delta and Federal Governments to develop Kokori community and Urhobo land, threatening that his group would blow up oil installations and pipelines in the areas. The Governor said the suspect is believed to have been the brain behind several "high-profile kidnap cases and not-so-high-profile kidnap and armed robbery cases in Delta State and at least, five other states." Following the arrest, Gov. Uduaghan explained that security calculations to checkmate possible reprisals by a bunch of criminal elements loyal to the notorious suspect still holed up in the area, led to the heavy deployment of military personnel, policemen and other security operatives, since last week Wednesday morning. He noted that the current special security operation in the area was aimed at ridding the area of dangerous criminals and making it a safe habitation for law-abiding citizens to enjoy the "full support of my government, and anyone who has a case to answer, would be arrested and interrogated by them." The Governor, who cautioned people, and especially the media, against "sensationalising the necessary security operation currently going on in the area, debunked allegations that about a dozen persons have been killed. He said only one fatality has been confirmed by security reports reaching him, saying it occurred when a group of Kokori youths tried to prevent a convoy of security personnel from entering the town by barricading the road into the place, causing the soldiers to shoot. "This is a very sensitive case being handled by our security operatives", Uduaghan noted, adding: "It is capable of consuming the whole community, because of the awkwardness of the situation, you could almost say the whole community is guilty. "We must say with a lot of sadness that he had a lot of strong support from the Kokori community. In the recent propaganda, photos by the arrested Kelvin, circulated by the Press and in the internet, the people of the community appeared to have connived. Instead of dancing behind their children that have just graduated, the horrible scene was that women were dancing behind the children carrying guns. I can't imagine that kind of psychology...." He however agreed that "some people in the community have moved out on their own. So, it is more of a ghost town than a community under siege of security operatives". "One person was confirmed dead yesterday, (last week Wednesday), not even up to four persons have been fatally wounded, not to talk to the large figure of 20 dead being speculated in certain quarters", the Governor said. In his comment, the national coordinator, Mandate Against Poverty (MAP), Chief Bobson Gbinije said, “Kelvin is by empirical testability and antecedents of history a criminal. But he later metamorphosed into a Robinhood with a renascent MASSOB and OPC-like agenda when he saw the horrendously ghoulish, politico, socio-economic oppression of the Urhobo/Kokori people” “He has made his point and the power that be must recognize the renaissance in his Gahuna to macadamize the way forward. In times of wars, the laws are silent (inter arma silent leges)” Also commenting, Comrade Austin Izobo, the National President of the Ijaw People Development Initiative (IPDI) said Kelvin actually was not different from other militants, but he misplaced the struggle, by demanding amnesty as he should have given the ultimatum on redress on critical issues that has to do with the welfare of Urhobo people in general. If he was on errand, why should he seek for selfish aim thereby disappointing those who he claimed to be fighting for? If the amnesty is offered to him, how many Urhobo can benefit? He should have allowed government to suggest the amnesty. The manner at which he demanded for the amnesty without seeking redress of key issues of Urhobo marginalization makes him to be a criminal and not a militant” The system presently rewards criminal and it will be sane therefore, to call Kelvin and his groups militants. I hold the above view” Speaking on the issue, human rights activist and constitutional lawyer, Barr. Omens Ogedegbe noted that the system presently rewards criminal and it would be sane therefore to call Kelvin and his groups, militants. According to him when the Niger Delta agitation began, “it was purely an act of aggravated criminality with impunity, but got the blessings of the powers that be who in turn crowned the alleged criminality with official recognition, to the effect of awarding juicy contracts and ensuring these officially recognized criminals got their own share of the national cake on a monthly basis. It was the manner the system rewarded these criminals that brought about the resurgence of the most deadly group, who have rejected the government offered amnesty and have even offered amnesty to the government, what a pity.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Oct 2013 02:05:31 +0000
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