"The military is behaving as if the Ijaw people of Okarki are not human beings. Our people are being treated like animals that must be killed.”
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has demanded the prosecution of military officers who shot and killed Izu Joseph, a defender with the Ibadan-based 3SC Football Club, and one Oko Osuekina in Okarki Community, Ediro/Ogbologolo Clan in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State. The group expressed condolences to the victims’ families and warned against continued military action in the Niger Delta.
Its position was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday. Signed by its spokesperson, Eric Omare, the statement said the killing of the two men is symptomatic of the disdain with which the military treats Niger Deltans.
"The corpse of Oko Osuekina, who was shot by military officers on his forehead at the same time with Izu Joseph, was found floating on the Okarki River some few hours ago," said the IYC.
The group explained that its leadership has been informed by the IYC Clan Chairman of Ediro/Ogbologbo Clan, Mr. Solomon Harrison, that the entire Okarki Community is tense because the military intimidated villagers all through the night and shot sporadically into air.
“The IYC is at a loss as to the justification for the military impunity in Okarki Community. The military is behaving as if the Ijaw people of Okarki are not human beings. Our people are being treated like animals that must be killed,” the group stated.
The IYC further stated that it is because of the lack of professionalism by the military, that it has campaigned against military action in the Niger Delta.
“From our experience, innocent people like the victims in this case are always at the receiving end of any military action instead of the supposed criminals that the military ought to go after. We strongly condemn this barbaric and criminal conduct of officers of the Nigerian military and call on all lovers of humanity to join in condemnation of this action.
“We also demand for the military officers who carried out this extra-judicial murder to be brought to justice. President Buhari and his government's claim to the rule of law is on trial,” concluded the group.
