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PRESS RELEASE BY IJAW YOUTH COUNCIL (IYC) WORLDWIDE

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August 5, 2015

PRESS STATEMENT

IYC CONDEMNS THE ARREST, DETENTION AND CONTINOUS HARASSMENT OF MRS. GESILA KHAN, RESIDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER (REC) RIVERS STATE, SAYS THAT IS IT CONTINUATION OF THE PERSECUTION OF NIGER-DELTANS BY PRESIDENT BUHARI’S ADMINISTRATION

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide condemns the arrest, detention and continuous harassment of Mrs. Gesila Khan, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Rivers State by the Directorate of State Security (DSS) in respect of the conduct of the general elections in Rivers State. This is a continuation of President Buhari administration’s resolve to persecute Niger Deltans and especially those perceived to be close to former President Goodluck Jonathan. It is on record that Mrs. Khan has meritoriously served Nigeria in different capacities without blemish.

From July 14, 2015 till date, Mrs. Khan from Bayelsa State has been arrested and detained twice and subjected to continuous harassment by the DSS on the orders of President Buhari over the conduct of the general elections in Rivers State. At the time of issuing this statement, she has been invited again to appear before the DSS today, Wednesday, 5/8/2015. The DSS has no cogent and justifiable reason for the arrest, detention and continuous harassment of Mrs. Khan. As a result of the arrest, detention and continuous harassment, Mrs. Khan’s health is failing. In most cases, she is now moving between the hospital and the DSS office.

This is unacceptable and we call on all men of good conscience to condemn it. Even in the military era, electoral officers were not subjected to such human rights abuses. It is also strange that the civil society and human right community in Nigeria are silent in the face of this threat and monumental rape on our democracy.
It is unprecedented in the electoral history of Nigeria for a Resident Electoral Commissioner to be arrested, detained and subjected to continuous harassment because the ruling party failed in the state where the electoral officer served. The IYC has it on good authority that the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Okojie is facing similar treatment from President Buhari’s kinsman led DSS. This is an abuse of office and threat to Nigerian’s democracy. To single out Mrs. Khan and Mr. Okojie to face dehumanizing treatment is nothing but persecution of people from a particular section of the country. The aggrieved parties in the Rivers and Akwa Ibom elections having submitted their grievances to the tribunal for adjudication, it amounts to trying to truncate the administration of justice for the DSS to be harassing the electoral officers who conducted the elections. 

The IYC wishes to remind President Buhari that his resolved to persecute people from same place or close to former President Jonathan is a venture that would not do his administration any good. President Jonathan conceded defeat to allow peace reign in Nigeria and Buhari should allow sleeping dogs lie. If there is any electoral officer that should be arrested, it is Prof. Attahiru Jega and the Resident Electoral Commissioners who criminally rigged the Presidential election in the northern part of Nigeria. President Buhari should know that the election that brought him to power was not in any way free and fair. President Buhari is a beneficiary of a massively rigged election.

The IYC call on the DSS to stop the harassment of Mrs. Khan and any other electoral officer who served in the south-south region. Niger-Deltans may be forced to take their destiny into their hands. Enough is enough!

Signed for the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide:
Eric Omare
Spokesman

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