Skip to main content

40 years after, group demands panel report on Ugep massacre


Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai

A socio-cultural organisation, Umor Otutu, has called on the Federal Government to revisit the massacre of Ugep people of Yakur Local Government Area of Cross River State by the Nigerian Army 40 years ago and make the panel report on the atrocity public.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja as part of plans to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the massacre on December 24, 1975, President General of the group, Pastor Ben Arikpo, regretted that 40 years after, no action had been taken on the Federal Government White Paper on the massacre.
                    
Pastor Arikpo recalled that on that Black Wednesday, soldiers went violent on the pretext of an erroneous assumption that the people of Ugep killed a soldier serving in the army barracks. he said overran Ugep, attacked the town at midnight, killed, raped and set houses ablaze.

According to Arikpo, the official report indicated that 13 people were killed, 100 injured and 7,500 houses were burnt at the time of the massacre, adding that General Murtala Mohammed was the then military Head of State while the then Brigadier Theophilus Danjuma was the Chief of Army Staff.

At the state level, the then Col. Paul Omu was the Governor of the defunct South Eastern State while then Col Mamman Vasta was Commandant of the then 13th Infantry Brigade of Nigerian Army based in Calabar.

Arikpo said: “A panel of inquiry was set up by the then Head of State, Maj. Gen. Murtala Mohammed, headed by late Justice Okorobidu.

However, the report of the panel is yet to be made public despite the White Paper that had since been issued.”

He explained that, prior to the massacre, a soldier of the 8 Battalion in Ugep, was said to have been found dead by the road side.

“The soldiers claimed that he must have been killed by Ugep people. In reprisal, the military on the night of December 24, 1975, invaded the town in a commando-like style, chanting war songs, and killed our loved ones, raped our sisters, wives and mothers, while men were beaten, clubbed, maimed and killed in the most gruesome manner while they also set the town ablaze.”

Credit: Vanguard

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sen. Magnus Abe's Courageous Fight For Rivers Brick House

Ab e' Today Rivers people especially majority of faithful of the All Progressives Congress APC defied the heavy down pour in Port Harcourt to show solidarity for Sen. Magnus Abe and the direct primaries in the state which has been kicked against by the Rotimi Amaechi faction of the party in the state. This support which was massive and highly successful  buttressed the position of the over 148,000 people that caste  their votes on the direct primaries which held in the state on the 30th of September 2018. Rivers people on that   fateful day showed that they wanted the right man for the job in defiance of the foisting of an unknown candidate chosen from the blues to fly the flag of the party. The solidarity which the people of the state and APC members showed for the Ogoni born Senator has to be respected by the party unlike what is happening today where the party seems to be favouring the emergence of Tonye Cole all in the bid to please the former governor of t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Support For GEJ: C C Okirie Commends PDP In Rivers State

A frontline politician in Rivers State Chief Chukwuma Chinwa Oikrie has commended the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers state under the leadership of Bro. Felix Obuah (Go Round) for the support the party has given to President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid. Chief Okirie made this known at Omoku Town the headquarters of Ogba/ Egbema / Ndoni local government area over the weekend when the Party opened the Campaign Office of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the LGA. While thanking the state Chairman for his support, Chief Okirie stated that with the support the President has received from the party in the state, there was even no need for him to come and campaign personally.   “With the tremendous support the people of the state have accorded the President, I think he should go and rest. It is even immaterial if he comes to campaign personally because the people of the state are behind him. We will give him the traditional 100% votes we have alway...
Post a Comment
Read more

“Stop Harassing Atiku’s Business Interests”- CC Okirie

A Port Harcourt based businessman and politician Chief Chukwuma C. Okirie has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria not to use or allow any of its agencies, parastatals or departments to be used in intimidating or harassing any business interest (s) of former vice President Alhaji Abubakar Atiku. Chief CC Okirie who is also the National Coordinator of  Project AA a socio political group with wide follower-ship across the country said the former vice president of the country has sacrificed so much for democracy in the country and should not be subjected to any form of harassment due to his political ideology or aspiration. Chief Okirie who briefed newsmen during the meet the media chat with newsmen on the activities of his group PROJECT AA said it was high time Nigerians are allowed to speak their minds or aspire for any position of their choice without being witch hunted by authourities.  He lamented that some people who believe they have some people in particular...
Post a Comment
Read more