Group appeals to Obaseki, Oba Ewuare II to probe detention of leader

THE Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM) has appealed to Governor Godwin Obaseki and Oba Ewuare 11, Oba of Benin, to investigate thoroughly the circumstances that led to the arrest and detention of the President of the movement, Comrade Curtis Ugbo, saying that the recent protest was against oil companies operating in the state but have marginalized the Benin people and not against the state government.

It would be recalled that Comrade Ugbo and Chief Odion Olaye were remanded at the Oko prison last Thursday following the protest they led against the management of the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and other oil companies operating in the state, after the group alleged that the oil companies have failed to fulfil their social responsibilities to the oil producing communities.

Reacting in a statement signed by the public Relations Office of the movement, Marxist Kola Edokpayi and Comrade Hope Enogieru, stated that “some persons are only trying to blackmail our Movement just because they want to put our people in prison. That is why we are appealing to our father, the Oba and our governor to investigate this matter properly so that innocent people will not suffer.

“The protest was very peaceful and we were only asking these oil companies to employ at least one thousand of our Benin people instead of hiring people from outside. We did not kill anybody, we were not armed. We recall that similar protest occurred in Rivers state that same day, the protesters were armed and the police and the governor went them to address them before peace reigned.

“In this case, we are only trying to assist our governor Obaseki, to achieve the 200,000 jobs he promised by asking these oil companies to employ our people. We want to assist the government so that peace will reign in this state, we don’t want our youths to go into crime and that is our aim. We want to equally apologize to our father, Oba Ewuare 11 for using his photograph in our letter headed paper without his consent” it stated.