Since the end of #Endsars protests which was unfortunately hijacked in Oyigbo local government area of Rivers State by unknown hoodlums and its attendant militarization of the entire city by the executive governor of the state, barrister Nyesom Wike, Oyigbo residents have been left to suffer all manner of abuses in the hands of military officers stationed at Oyigbo express junction.
Recall that at the peak of the mayhem that greeted the #Endsars protests, governor Wike declared dusk till dawn curfew which became a ploy for the Nigerian army to adopt unspecified number of Oyigbo residents while others who were so unlucky were given summary execution and their bodies dumped in the thick forest.
Although, after governor Wike came under heavy criticism, he decided to soft pedal and readjusted the time of the curfew he monstrously imposed on the local government but threatened to unleash more terror on the people if they should fail to comply to his whim.
The unprecedented human rights abuse which Intersociety, a human rights advocacy group exposed in Oyigbo is still going on unabated. The Nigerian army is still committing terrible human rights abuses in the city. Young ladies are sexually molested and their male counterparts subjected to dehumanizing treatments all in the name of IPOB.
Apart from sexually molesting young women and battering of their male folks, the city has become an ATM machine for the military officers deployed to restore peace. These unprofessional officers hide under the cover of enforcing curfew to extort money and brutalize innocent transporters and pedestrians who dare resist their insatiable desires.
It has become a norm for the military officers to stage a commando like invasion every night at a popular axis called Mbano junction.
Residents are taken unawares. Some who are not smart enough to escape during the sudden invasion are beaten beyond repair. If the person is unlucky, he or she will be disposed of every valuable.
A commercial bus driver who was a victim of the abuse in the city contacted Elombahnews on the phone and recounted his horrible ordeal in the hands of these military officers stationed at Oyigbo express junction.
Mr Nwachukwu, a father of three who could not hold back his tears said, “I was returning from Aba on February, due to the dilapidated roads and coupled with multiple police and military checkpoints along Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway, I could not beat the time of the curfew. We were over 50 vehicles that were caught up that very day at Mbano junction. The military officers that day ordered each driver to pay N500 or they will see hell. Out of fear, majority paid and those of us who resisted were beaten mercilessly.”
He continued, “I was beaten with koboko. After receiving so much flogging, I was ordered to jump into a near by gutter in front of a hotel called Ivory guest house. That very night, the military officers made so much money from the drivers. I was finally released after they noticed I was losing strength.
Another young man named Mr Stephen whose sister was a victim of military brutality in the city also told Elombahnews how the sister who was returning from work was beaten with heavy sticks.
Mr Stephen said, “On that fateful day, we were resting at home when some neighbors brought back my sister home. She could not walk and there was injury all over her body. When we asked what happened, we were told that my sister who was returning from work was brutally attacked by the military officers. We could not do anything because nobody to fight for us. We took her to the hospital and treated her. See, we are suffering here and many young men are not happy”.
Further investigation my Elombahnews shows that within the popular Oyigbo express axis, the military officers stationed around the area usually stop young men at random, order them to pack heavy blocks and do other strenuous and life threatening works. Many Oyigbo residents for the fear of being subjected to any kind of punishment avoid plying Oyigbo express route.
When Elombahnews contacted one of the decision makers in the city asking him if he is aware of the atrocious acts of the military, he said they have received reports about the nefarious activities of the army and something is been done about it. He declined to give more details over what is been done to arrest the situation.
However, some residents of Oyigbo have appealed to governor Wike to completely end the curfew so that they can go about their normal businesses peacefully.
Indeed Oyigbo is still under siege!!
