By Onome Oghenetega
An Itsekiri group, Movement for the Protection of Iwere Homeland Development and History (MPIHDH), has written to the President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Akpata Olumide, calling for the sanctioning of the Warri branch chairman, Chief Emmanuel Uti.
The group said Chief Uti and the NBA Warri Branch’s reaction to the recent invasion of the Warri High Court was laced with lies and deliberately designed to mislead the general public especially security agencies.
The petition signed by the group’s National President and one of its leader, Comrade Aderojor Ologhojoba James, Comrade Lucky Ayomike Okonedo, said the Warri NBA’s press release was “intentionally and wickedly laced with lies, hearsays, unsubstantiated claims, fake news, with a deliberate intent to mislead the general public, security agents, the Delta State government.”
MPIHDH accused the branch chairman of using his official position to further a hidden agenda to “truncate” the ongoing burial rites of Ogiame Ikenwoli, as well as the forthcoming coronation activities for the Olu-designate.
The petition frowned at the description of “Itsekiri sons and daughters, old men and women” who peacefully protested to the court, as “armed thugs and hoodlums”.
“He (Warri NBA chairman) should be adequately sanctioned for intentionally misinforming the general public about what transpired in the court on that fateful day.
“He has by his action proven without any shadow of doubt, that he is a serial liar, a busy body and a meddlesome interloper who have decided to pervert the cause of justice,” parts of the statement read.
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It added that the Itsekiri people will not be deterred from “peacefully attending subsequent court proceedings whose outcomes is germane to their collective interest as a people and bonafide citizens of Nigeria”.
The NBA Warri Branch had called for a beef up of security around courts premises to stem court invasions and “desecration of its hallowed chambers” while condemning Thursday’s incident at the Warri High Court.
