Don’t panic over military exercise in Oyigbo – LGA Chair

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Residents of Oyigbo Local government areas of Rivers State have been asked not to panic over military presence in the area.
Chairman of Oyigbo LGA, Gerald Oforji made the appeal in a statement he personally signed on Sunday.
Oforji also urged residents not to panic over military exercise going on in the area as it is aimed at recovery of stolen arms.
“People living and doing businesses in Oyigbo should strictly obey the 24hrs curfew imposed by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.
“Total compliance to the Governor’s directive will ease the lifting of the curfew,” he stated.
This appeal comes on the heels of allegations by residents that the security agencies are engaging in extra Judicial killings, though no content in the media space or pictures and videos from Oyigbo to back up the claims, but residents have been raising alarm on social media and local radio in Port Harcourt.
Meanwhile, a group known as the Indigenous Youth Forum (IYF) says it has given Governor Nyesom Wike and the Rivers State Government 48 hours to release those arrested and missing, and also bring out bodies of those allegedly executed in Oyigbo Local Government Area.
The group said it will be forced to take necessary actions if the authorities fail to comply within the given period.
General spokesperson for IYF, Ebube Nwagbara in a statement accused the Rivers State Governor of declaring war on Ndigbo under the pretext of hunting members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
He also alleged that the ongoing military operation in Oyigbo has claimed the lives of 28 persons in four days, 33 people are missing and 17, including women and children, are shot and wounded.
He said, “We are using this medium to draw the attention of well-meaning Nigerians and members of the international community to the ongoing massacre in Rivers State by soldiers