The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has commended the Police for prompt intervention in an attempt by some hoodlums to violently break into the secretariat of MOSOP yesterday in Bori, headquarters of Khana local government area.
Commenting on the incident, the administrative officer at the MOSOP Secretariat, peace and freedom center, Bori-Ogoni, Mr Sylvanus Adamgbo said at about 9am, some group of youths attempted to forcefully access the MOSOP secretariat. A call on the Police to arrest the situation got prompt response and the invaders were immediately repelled to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order.
“They came in busses and we were shocked because there was no scheduled activity. Asked for the keys to the hall and were refused entry. We immediately called in the Police. The Police promptly responded and sent everybody away”
When asked about the mission of the invaders, Adamgbo said some of them said they were told that the MOSOP had called a meeting, others said they told them a former president of MOSOP, whom they did not name had asked them to come and receive some payments.
When contacted, President of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke said attacks on the MOSOP secretariat is something that is always planned by people who do not wish the best for Ogoni and think the only way they can stay relevant is to hijack the leadership of the movement.
He however noted that attacks on the secretariat is not new. In the past and on several occasions, the Goodluck Diigbo faction has dislodged secretariat staff and that did not stop the operations of MOSOP. For instance, in 2011, the MOSOP elections were put off in favour of a caretaker committee because the Goodluck Diigbo faction took over the secretariat and made away with all election related documents.
He blamed the attack on people who are opposed to the MOSOP development initiative and called on the Ogoni people to break free from the manipulations of the past by supporting the current MOSOP developing initiatives.
“What I can say is that there are people who, for whatever reason, are not comfortable with our development initiative. That is what they have been doing for decades and kept Ogoni the way it is”
“The Ogoni people need to understand that as a people we must forge ahead with what is good for the Ogoni people and not allow the manipulation of the past to prevail over our ambition for a brighter future” Nsuke said.
The success of the Nsuke-led campaign for development in Ogoni through the operationalization of the Ogoni Development Authority and the overwhelming excitement of the people is giving some people sleepless nights especially the growing interest of the grassroots in the development proposal.
“They will always try to stop us and we will continue to propagate our message to break away from an exploitative past by some few individuals who push people to protest and take advantage of them” Nsuke further said.
Nsuke called on the Ogoni people to be resilient and break free from the stagnation of the past and launch themselves into a better future.
