The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, the apex organization of all Ijaw youths globally, has warned President Muhammadu Buhari against witch hunting Nigerians and perceived enemies whom it deemed to have played roles that led to its failure in certain parts of the country during the 2015 general elections.
Specifically, the youth body warned President Buhari against witch hunting Nigerians and especially the Niger Delta who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The warning was sequel to the arrest and molestation of Mrs. Gesila Khan, Resident Electoral Commissioner of Rivers State after the 2015 general elections by the Department of State Security Service (DSS).
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In a strongly worded press statement signed by the IYC Spokesman, Eric Omare, delivered toThe Trent, the group recalled the torture, harassment and intimidation Mrs. Khan has undergone since July 14, 2015 when she was arrested by the DSS.
The IYC, in the statement dated April 15, 2016 and titled “Oppression: Rivers State REC for 2015 Arrested Again by DSS Even After the Elections Have Been Upheld by the Supreme Court”, insisted that the arrest, detention and taking of Khan to an unknown destination was a deliberate effort to punish her for the woeful failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The body further said if the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has any case against Mrs. Khan, it would be appropriate for the anti-graft agency and other security agencies to take her to a competent court of law and not to subject her to continuous humiliation as has been the case since July 14, 2015.
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The statement read in part “The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide demands the immediate release of Mrs. Gesila Khan, Resident Electoral Commissioner for River State who was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday, the 13th of April, 2016 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
“Mrs. Khan had gone to the office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to honour an invitation and having met with the EFCC team, they demanded for a first class traditional ruler or holder of the National Honour of Commander of the Niger (CON) to stand surety to bail her. However, when the surety was made available on Thursday, the 14th of April, 2016, the EFCC at Port Harcourt claimed that they no longer know her whereabouts.
“The IYC completely condemns this illegal conduct and flagrant abuse of power by the EFCC in the guise of fighting corruption. While all well-meaning Nigerians and organizations including the IYC have over the years supported efforts at stamping out corruption from Nigeria, we insist that such a fight must be done within the ambits of the law and not to witch hunt perceived enemies of the government in power”.
The IYC noted that the arrest and molestation of Khan by the DSS under Mr. Lawal Daura is to discredit the 2015 general elections in Rivers State, insisting that “this effort by the EFCC is a continuation of the humiliation and psychological torture of Mrs. Khan”, just as it said the vindictive nature of the Buhari administration was totally unacceptable.
It described as worrisome the action of the Buhari’s government saying “for a government that came into power due to the political magnanimity of a sitting President to be going after persons it deems to have acted as obstacles to taking over River State is disdainful” calling on Nigerians and civil society groups to rise against these wanton violation of rights of citizens under the guise of fighting corruption.
