| Spate
of bombings in Rivers State
By THE SUN PUBLISHIN
Friday, July 21, 2006
The recent bombing of the residence of the Rivers
State Governor’s brother-in-law, Mr Okey Nzenwa, by
militants has called to question the government’s resolve
and ability to contain the flagrant display of lawlessness
by groups that use violence as a means of redressing imagined
or perceived injustice by those in power.
The attacks have become so recurrent and devastating in Port
Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. In the recent attack,
as in previous ones, the attackers claimed that the onslaught
of violence is targeted at people whom they (the militants)
regard as the enemies of the people.
When the attack is not from Movement for the Emancipation
of the Niger Delta (MEND), it is from the Grand Alliance of
Niger Delta (GAND) or Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force
(NDPVF) or threats by a group known as the Niger Delta Coastal
Guerrillas. GAND claimed responsibility for the recent attack.
It also claimed responsibility for the attacks on the homes
of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr.
Austin Opara and the Rivers State Commissioner for Finance,
Kenneth Kobani.
The reason adduced by GAND for the brazen recklessness is
its claim that Rivers State under Governor Peter Odili’s
administration is not developing. The GAND leader has explained
that the attack on Nzenwa was simply a warning to politicians
to become more people-oriented or risk further attacks.
The Niger Delta Coastal Guerrillas had in a paid
advertorial warned against Odili’s presidential ambition
and vowed that it would do everything possible to stall the
presidential bid and should he succeed, it will attack foreigners
and non-indigenes in the state.
The unfolding brigandage in the oil-rich South-south state
is a creation of the politicians. In their bid to capture
power, they have recruited some of these militants to do their
bidding during electioneering campaigns. The result is the
rule of the thumb and the survival of the fittest hence cases
of bombing, killing and hostage-taking. In fact, hostage-taking
in this area has become a booming art in view of the horse-trading
and money involved in the release negotiations. To cage the
militants, the politicians must be morally caged so that they
will not see election as a do or die affair.
Interestingly, we have a government in place in Rivers State.
If that government allows lawlessness to flourish, it shall
be blamed for it. It is the government that has the means
of coercion to handle the matter. The state government should
be eternally vigilant in view of these attacks and threats
of more.
The security operatives should be up and doing in tracking
down these lawless groups whose identities are not hidden
from the eagle-eyed men of various security operatives in
the country and bring them to book. The return to democracy
is not a licence for lawlessness and violence. It is not enough
for government to uncover plots of such sinister plans; it
should cage these militants and prevent further attacks on
innocent citizens.
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