The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has condemned in its strongest terms, the gruesome murder and beheading of one Josiah B. Piabari, commander of the Boys Scout in Ogoni and native of Yeghe in Gokana local government area of Rivers State at a disputed farm area which has been the subject of lingering conflicts between the Yeghe and Boue poeple in Gokana and Khana local government areas respectfully.
Speaking at the end of a meeting of MOSOP Kingdom coordinators and Chapter Leaders yesterday at the national secretariat of the movement in Bori, Khana local government area, chairman and spokesperson for the coordinators and chapter leaders, Snr. Apostle Celestine Viura strongly condemned the barbaric act and charged the Police to unravel the killers of Piabari and three others who are missing.
MOSOP noted that this act is not only an aberration, running contrary to all known Ogoni values, traditions of respect and sanctity of the human life, but it is an extremely inhuman act not acceptable nor excusable.
“Reports of the barbaric murder and beheading of one Mr. Josiah B. Piabari of Yeghe and three others are strongly condemnable. We are deeply touched by the killings and beheading of Piabari and the disappearances of some three other indigenes of Yeghe and we will urge the Police to deliver a satisfactory report on this matter” Viura said.
“MOSOP regrets the seeming breakdown of dialogue initiated by the Khana and Gokana local government councils over the farm disputes between the Boue and Yeghe communities and urges the two local authorities to speed up their intervention machinery to see to the resolution of the conflicts. We are deeply worried about the gradual return of conflicts and killings in Ogoni which could be a prelude to large-scale conflicts between communities if not nipped in the bud.” Viula remarked.
He commended the efforts of the chairmen of Khana local government area, Dr. Bariere Thomas and Chief Confidence Deko, chairman of Gokana local government area, He urged the Police authorities to do everything possible to deter the escalation of the conflict.
He further urged the communities to register their grievances in peaceful ways and not to take laws into their hands noting that MOSOP will only stand by peaceful means to bring the perpetrators of these killings to account.
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