Rivers crisis: Group urges Nigerians to resist dictatorship

The Coalition of Concerned Citizens, Indigenes and Non-Indigenes Residents In Rivers State has described the political imbroglio in Rivers State as a major threat to democracy, asking Nigerians to rise up and support Rivers State residents and indigenes in resisting dictatorship.
In a statement, CCCINRRS said that it had in past few weeks drawn the attention of the President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Inspector General of Police to the serial intransigence committed by the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu.
The group said: “We  had warned that Mbu’s continued presence in Rivers State will continue to compromise peace, security and harmonious co-existence of people in the state.
“We warned that a major conflagration was brewing as  a result of Mbu’s meddling in the political divisions in the state.”
The group lamented that its “repeated warnings were ignored by the Presidency, the National Assembly until politicians physically assaulted themselves  in the precincts of the Rivers State House of Assembly on July 9th, 2013.”
The group alleged complicity in the conduct of policemen deployed by Mbu, saying: “As if the shock of July 9th was not enough, same gang of Mbu’s armed policemen and we believe with the complicity of the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar, on July 10, made the Rivers State Government House uninhabitable.
“Rather than restore order amidst protests by supporters of two political camps, the  policemen rained tear gas on the Government House and its residents.”
The group declared that “River State is under siege. Democracy is under siege. It does not matter on which side you belong.
“The security of lives and property of the ordinary citizen is completely compromised.”
It added: “Now is the time to stand up and say NO to dictatorship and all elements that will remind us of the brutal days of the military.
“Now is the time to stand up for the respect of the rule of law and not the terror of the jungle. It is one time for Nigerians to say no to anarchy and the tyranny of might.
“CCCINRRS rejects actions that will drag Nigeria back to the woods. We reject and denounce actions by politicians who project their selfish political interests above the common good.
“We reject all actions that will again bring back oppression, intimidation and humiliation of our collective humanity.
“Today it is River State, who knows which state is next. These politicians experimenting with high octane violence in Rivers State once they succeed, will for a fact, push for more conquests and more conquests. They must be checked NOW by the people.”
“We request all Nigerian to join us to say enough is enough. Politicians should allow ordinary people live and do business peacefully in Rivers State.”