…..Threaten to take protest to Abuja, Call for a probe into the army raids on Yeghe and other communities in Ogoni
The protest against incessant military invasion of Ogoni communities especially the community of Yeghe in Gokana local government area of Ogoni land had move to Government House, Port Harcourt, the state capital with over 300 women calling on the state governor, Nyesom Wike to help stop the raids and abuses.
Speaking to newsman, leader of the group Mrs Leedensin Daadan said The women who came in about 20 trucks protested to the governor in government house, Port Harcourt against the raid on Ogoni communities by the Nigerian Army since February 2016 and the abuse against women by the Nigerian military. She also called for a probe into the raids.
Mrs Daadan cited the case of Cecilia Diginee, 77 years old has just been buried in Yeghe. She died from shock on September 13 after she collapsed on February 23 during the military raid on Yegh, Ogoniland.
According to Mrs Daadan, Cecilia’s case is one of the many cases predominantly affecting women and children. The raids by the Nigerian army in Yeghe,Ogoniland is impacting negatively on the health of rural dwellers and ultimately leading to death, she said.
The women leader said there is no crisis in the Yeghe community, no community is at war with the people of Yeghe and the reason for the soldiers to continuously raid and rape women, and causing hardship and terrible heart conditions leading to the death of several women and children is what we are calling on the governor to stop and ensure their is a probe into these incidents.
She said “the soldiers rape us and we can no longer go to farms because sometimes, you just find that they are in the farmlands as early as 6am, they shoot randomly and out of fear, our people are developing heart troubles and dying”
The women leader said they are living in fear and can no longer go to the farm. The result is that hunger is biting hard on them and their families.
Mrs Daadan said if Governor Wike will not take action to stop the army from raiding their communities, they will take the protest to the president, Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja whom she believes will not be aware of the crimes of the soldiers and their mission in Ogoniland.