Scores of Nigerian citizens under the Coalition of Ethnic-based Pressure Groups and Human Rights Groups in Rivers State, COEGHAR, staged a protest in Lagos state, western Nigeria to call attention to what they described as the rising cases of political violence that could mar the forthcoming general elections if not immediately stopped.

The group also called on the United States of America to help salvage the country by helping with a lasting solution and ensuring that the elections are peaceful.

In a letter the coalition delivered to the office of the US Secretary of State through the country’s Consul-General, in Lagos State, the groups said they decided to embark on the protest because of “the current and unacceptable high level of insecurity in the said Rivers State which if not immediately addressed, will scuttle the attempts by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a free and fair election in Nigeria but particularly in Rivers state.

Reminding the US of its interest in ensuring that the elections in Nigeria held peacefully, the groups also recalled that the American Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle who, brokered a local peace pact in Rivers State among the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Labour Party, LP.

“It is rather unfortunate that instead of the above stated peace pacts achieving the aims for which they were signed, what we are currently witnessing is that Rivers State has been placed under siege and is daily being consumed by mindless violence which has resulted in the deaths of several innocent souls.

“We particularly note that deaths have occurred in Abua/Odual Local Government Area, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area and Okrika Local Government Area all in Rivers State.

“Of equal importance is the fact that all these are happening in the midst of uncertainty surrounding the judiciary in the state which has remained shut down and bogged down by a seemingly unending strike action embarked upon by Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, Rivers State branch with certain vested interests doing everything to ensure that the judiciary, being the last hope of the common man, does nit function at this point in time in the state,” they said adding that this has paved the way for a free-for-all by those who want to scuttle democracy.

The letter titled: Protest Against Acts of Politically Motivated Harrassment, Intimidation, Orchestrated Violence and Killings in Rivers State of Nigeria, said to ensure that political violence held sway, those perpetrating the act had bombed four courts in the state.

“With the comatose situation of the judiciary and the complacence of the law enforcement agencies, no wonder the masters of impunity are having a field day in the state,” the letter stated.

Though the groups refused to name any particular political party as responsible for acts of violence in the state, they expressed belief that the violence was being sponsored by those who have rendered the law enforcement agencies in the state incapable or unwilling to combat the alleged perpetrators.

“In some instances, the police have stood by and watched the orgy of violence happen without doing anything to stop it and arrest the criminal elements carrying out these dastardly activities.

“We have thus lost all confidence in the ability of the police in Rives State to properly handle the security situation in the state and protect the citizenry.


“In this circumstances, knowing that the citizenry of the state can no longer be protected by either the judiciary of the law enforcement agencies, we wish to call upon the American government and the international community to prevail on the authorities in Nigeria to allow the police and law enforcement agencies do their work of securing lives and properties so as to ensure that the forthcoming elections are allowed to hold in a conducive atmosphere that will ensure free and fair elections,” the groups said in the letter signed by leader of the coalition, Charles Inko-Tariah.



http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2015/02/27/protest-in-lagos-over-political-violence-in-rivers/

Apc are the cause of most problems in Rivers state.... they are too violent,probably cos most of there leaders lyk buhari,tinubu are violent in nature.
Meanwhile Gej till 2019.

Wow...rallies on rampage and protest...I hope it won't end in violence,,,what nigerians don't need is all this protest...what they need to do is create awareness for peace for this elections...all this protest will not end in war in Jesus name..Amen

lalasticlala:


The group also called on the United States of America to help salvage the country by helping with a lasting solution and ensuring that the elections are peaceful.

Yourba proverb: eni to fe daso feniyan torun e lanwo.

Thats some of the benefit of Jonathans rule supported by the Shepopotamus

And some people want this to continue for another 4yrs.

God forbid

Hmm

Just imagine cows. Protesting over peaceful Rivers, and forgetting violent areas like Jos, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Borno and Adamawa

..

Apc, assembly of trouble makers!! GEJ till 2019!!!

If it takes d blood of apc thugs to cleanse d land, I support it! By d way, who dhe Bleep is america ? Where were deh wen we nided dem to crash boko, well knathan de commander in chief is doing d great work wifout dem. Gej till buhari is cured of cancer cum stroke

Paid protesters

Open your ear and hear this

Gej till 2019 ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

If only their loud cry will b heard.

A better Nigeria we pray!

Military takeover is the answer . Democracy doesn't suit Nigeria!

gbese

good one

.APC APC!!! wen will y'all learn?
these acts n dramas won't take you far.
don't waste all ya money on this election coz GEJ has got it all.
#God bless Nigeria
#God bless GEJ
#God bless me n you

Nawao.......election should not be a do or die affair like we have it in saner climes..l wonder why we kill ourselves while the politrick-cians & their family members live either in there home sipping whiskey, send there children abroad, none of their wards get involved in the violence etc.......let me keep watching from the sidelines with my kunu, gurasa and kulikuli.........

oh

These are isolated cases,Rivers state is peaceful,I wonder why people that stay miles away ,will make us feel like Rivers state is being besieged by ISIS.

People will soon come to this thread saying it's APC or PDP. It is one violent Nigerian doing it to another. You don't have to kill people who don't agree with your views. I'm yet to see Jonathan or Buhari flog their opposition or break bottles on heir heads so I refuse to blame the parties. The choice of violence lies with each person.

Say no to violence. You're killing people over parties that don't give a hoot about ypu

What ever, GEJ till 2019!

Noooooo let the violence be seized pleaseeeeeeeeee

Nigerians cannot but be amusing.
So it is Lagos state govt that would solve Rivers state problem?

Violence in Rivers, Protest in Lagos. Who is deceiving who?

GEJ til 2019

Please, Who is the Chief security officer of the state

..and where is he

dat frog eye drug lord from ikoyi shud continue organising rented crowd to protest,

Why Lagos & not Rivers?

Ok

Booked

We just can't wait for Buhari to come and clean this country of so many mess its been plunged into
Surely a govt who advertises its achievements in the last 6 years on media has not been working

Hit "like" for Buhari/ Osinbajo 2015
#weareready

“[/quote] “In some instances, the police have stood by and watched the orgy of violence happen without doing anything to stop it and arrest the criminal elements carrying out these dastardly activities.

“[/quote]




the hand work of mama patience!this is what happens when the first lady of the country is an illiterate......the opposition party's campaign can hardly hold in peace............useless woman! God will punish them one by one.......




pej/gej otueke may 28 2015

Nigeria is ONE!

Crisis in Rivers, Protest in Lagos #NOTHINGBAD