Lawmakers at the Delta state House of Assembly, Asaba this
morning at plenary called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to urgently set up a public
inquiry to investigate the killing of two youths at the reifinery jetty in
Ekpan and Ifiekporo communities in Warri South 1 constituency.
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| Governor Okowa |
The call was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance
brought to the Assembly chambers by Honourable Efe Ofobruku, representing Uvwie
constituency.
A a unanimous vote vote, after the question was put, the
lawmakers passed the motion calling on Governor Okowa to urgently set up an
inquiry to investigate the judicial killing of the harmless and unarmed youths
by a trigger happy naval rating.
Raising the matter when called to debate, Ofobruku said: “It
is with a broken heart that I rise to speak on the ordeal face by the people of
my constituency in the killing of Chris Gbogidi and one other at the refinery
jetty in Ekpan and Ifiekporo in Warri South 1.”
He said the people of the community had mandated the youths
to make a case with the contractor to in a meeting for the purpose of employing
some of the youths in executing the project. “At the end of the meeting, a trigger
happy naval rating came out of the naval boat and opened fire on the harmless
youths, felling two of them who died, and critically injuring several who are
now in critical conditions battling for survival.
“Our security personnel are paid by the people through
government. There is no security agent employed to kill Nigerians. I condemn
this act; it is wicked and callous. Shall we keep quiet and allow security
personnel to continue to kill our people?” Ofobruku declared.
Hon. Johnson Erijo, who made an amendment to the motion in
his contribution said: “It is sad. We have read on the pages of newspaper of
the terrible event that happened. There is no responsible government that will
sit down while its citizens are being killed, and in this case unjustly,
because of its extra judicial nature. The Governor should set up a judicial
panel to investigate the extra judicial killing.”
Hon. Daniel Mayuku said in his contribution: “I rise to lend
my voice in support of this motion. This matter is very urgent. The state
government should do something to appease these people. The persons killed are
not riffraffs, they are well educated youths with masters degrees.”
Hon. Izeze urged the House to send a strong message to the
Armed Forces telling them that the right to life is sacrosanct. “The naval
rating involved is a meddlesome interloper . He had no business in the matter
that took him there, and so, his action is not justified,” Izeze said.
Princes (Mrs) Pat Ajudua (Oshimili North) said: “Mr.
Speaker, I lend my voice against the wicked act of the naval rating. I speak as
a mother , who have giving breast to suckling children and therefore
understands the pain of losing to young handsome men with the potentials of
becoming presidents, now being cut short in their primes.”
The Deputy Majority leader, lamenting the situation said: “You
don’t just go and destroy life, because you cannot create life. Life is sacred before
the state. It is therefore wrong for a
trigger happy naval rating to take laws into his hands,” he said, adding: “I
support this motion and urge my colleagues to support it so that justice will
be done.”
A lawmaker from Ughelli constituency said: :”The naval
rating’s action was callous. We are not in a banana republic where security
agent will take another person’s life. They
should be made to pay compensation to the families of those unjustly killed and
pay compensation in addition to off=setting the hospital bills of those
injured.
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