Mbang Confidence React towards Army sent to Nko.

MBANG CONFIDENCE (MEMBER REP ABI/YAKURR FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, NIGER DELTA YOUTH PARLIAMENT) SPITS FIRE: CALLS FOR JUSTICE OVER THE INVASION OF NKO COMMUNITY IN YAKURR LGA CROSS RIVER STATE

DESIGNATE THE ACT OF THE NIGERIAN ARMY AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL/ AGAINST THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT FOUNDED UPON BASELESS GROUNDS

28th June, 2022

It has been two clear days since the sudden invasion of the Nko community by men of the Nigerian Army following a tribal war between the Nko and Onyadama Community. It was gathered that the war has lasted over 7 decades due to disagreement on ownership of a very large expanse of land around the boundary of the warring Communities.

The unending war which has routinely won the lives of the youths went to it peak this time around. The gist of the moment is that men of the Nigerian Army acted against the civilised rules of engagement, and commenced utter destruction, killing, maiming and act \’ejusdem generis\’ on the people of Nko following an allegation which to many a people, is unfounded without evidence.

In an online interview with Mbang Confidence, he spoke fire thus, \” it was a shocking news when I heard and of course saw the invasion of my Community by armed men of the Nigerian Army, as civilised young man i resolved not to take a stand until I was sure of the cause of this event, upon some investigations, I discovered that the top security details in the state were of the opinion that a some soldiers were shot by the youths of Nko community, while the youths of Community were of the opinion that the shooting took place at the tail boundary of the warring Communities and it was practically impossible to give a mathematical exactitude on who shot the soldiers, contending that it was from the other side as they cannot go against the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, however, men of the Nigerian Army quickly resolved against the Nko community and launched an attack which I, Mbang Confidence consider unfounded, illegal, unconstitutional and against the rules of engagement to unarmed civilians.

Alot happened as the entire people of the Nko community have been displaced following an unverified allegation. I have perused through the Armed Forces Act, and I can find no provision empowering the Armed Forces to launch such an attack on civilians in a Constitutional Democracy like ours, of course Nko is not the first to have witness this act, I hereby refer to the Odi massacre in 1999 and even the Ugep massacre on the 24 December, 1975 to mention but a few. Hence,we would not sweep this event under the carpet, we would investigate the crook of this saga and esnure the perpetrators are brought to book, we would petition far and near, we would seek the interpretation of the court on the powers of the Nigerian Army to always launch attack on civilians, an act considered archaic against the fundamental human rights as guaranteed in the Constitution. As at this time, a team is putting all intellectual acumen together for the next step\”

The reaction of Member of Niger Delta Youth Parliament has spurred reactions from many civil organizations, of course he has petitioned the House Committee on Human Rights, called on the speaker, Human Rights Organization, National and international to look into the menace. Mbang believes that there was no evidence backing such inhuman and degrading act on the Nko Community, and of course, that the powers of the Nigerian Army should be interpreted to forestall unwarranted events like in a Democratic Constitutional Government. Mbang Confidence blamed the leaders of the region for feigning insensitivity to this age long dispute, and called on all and sundry to put efforts towards alternative disputes resolution for amicable settlement.

As at the time of publication, the Communities was still under siege by men of the Nigerian Army.