Rivers crisis: Nigerians in diaspora condemn use of explosives during protests

The Association of Nigerian Professionals in Europe, ANPE, has condemned the use of weapons of mass destruction, particularly explosive devices, during protests.

The association was reacting to an incident that occurred in Rivers State recently.

DAILY POST recalls that there was an explosion in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on June 25 when some political associates of Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, staged a protest.

It was reported that one of the protesters, who were protesting against some policies of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, attempted to detonate an Improvised Explosive Device, IED, near Hotel Presidential but ended up injuring himself.

Reacting, ANPE in a statement issued on Wednesday by its president, Dr. Reginald Agamah, expressed shock over the incident, describing it as “egregious and violent” and “utterly reprehensible.

“We unequivocally denounce these actions in the strongest terms possible, as terrorism has no place in a democracy,” Agamah said.

“The lives of our fellow citizens surpass their being used as bargaining chips in a desperate power grab by Mr. Wike and his allies,” he said.

Agamah stated that politics should be a noble pursuit centred on rendering services to the citizens and “not a supremacy battle driven by greed and ego.”

He, however, called on citizens to resist manipulative tactics and refrain from succumbing to violence, urging stakeholders to collaborate in restoring peace and security in Rivers State.