Rivers State might be known as the "Treasure Base of the nation" but that isn't exactly the case going by recent happenings. The South-South state is presently known as the "Violence Base Of The Nation" going by the chronicles of violence which has rocked the state in the past.
This was the reason so much blood bath was expected ahead of the March 19th 2016 National and State Assembly Re-Run Elections in the state. More than six people had their heads beheaded and their bodies mutilated some days before the elections. The problem in the state is the clash of ego and political might between the Federal Group (Rotimi Ameachi) and State Group (Ezenwo Wike).

With the election come and gone, there has been different calls by different individuals and political parties accusing each other of master minding the violence that has engulfed the state. While results remain inconclusive and police yet to conclude investigations , it has been reported that another six people including an orphan who is a Youth Corper (Samuel Okonta) have lost their lives with several people wounded and rendered homeless during the elections . The problem is that politicians of the state have a feeling that their ambition is supreme and must be realised even if it gulps more blood.

Therefore , it is clear that the likes of Okonta were murdered by the same people who were elected (Wike) or appointed (Ameachi) to protect and govern him. The killing of the Youth Corper is no news in Nigeria as more than six were also murdered in Bauchi during the 2011 general elections. To buttress further, the words of former Presidential aide, Dr Doyin Okupe must be noted "All principal participants must accept responsibility for this intolerable acts of savagery. By all participants I mean PDP, APC and their leaderships, the INEC and entire leadership of our security agencies ". The questions are why innocent Nigerian youths are used to conduct elections by INEC with peanuts paid and without proper security to help cover them. INEC is also to blame if they cannot guarantee the safety of it's workers. It's not like the election was nationwide and as a result security personnels scarce and inadequate to cover Rivers State, but the truth is that politicians themselves benefit from little or no security as it allows violence to become a "free for all".

With rumours of a declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State by the president , one only has to ask when political office holders would be made to earn money like civil servants as it wil reduce the attraction that political office offers, hence lowering the lust for them and also violence. It will also go a long way to reduce corruption as Nigerians know how that these politicians hustle and kill to occupy these political positions mainly due to the corrupt practices such office offers.

While the soul of Samuel Okonta and the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace, we only pray that normancy returns to Rivers state and Nigeria in general.

Source


http://mailtelegraph..com.ng/2016/03/samuel-okonta-and-bloody-thirsty-rivers.html?m=1