Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has received heavy bashing from Concerned Citizens of Odi, in Bayelsa State for advising President Muhammadu Buhari on how to resolve the issue of #EndSARS protests.
Obasanjo had a few days ago, condemned the shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos, and advised President Muhammadu Buhari to restrain the military and other security agencies from using brute force as a way of ending the crisis.
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But recounting their ordeal during the Obasanjo administration, the Concerned Citizens of Odi, in a letter on Saturday, addressed to Obasanjo, signed by the Deputy King of Odi, Chief Prenus Ogboin; Youth President, Ikposuoyeski Inemike; CDC Chairman, Goddey Niweigha; Women Leader, Ebimoweni Kemepade and 10 others, said some issues should be off-limit for the former president.
The letter obtained by Daily Trust on Sunday reads in part, “While you have the right and freedom to express your opinion, we believe that even for you there should be issues that are off-limit. Better not said. Not least, the issue of violence on peaceful protesters.
“Odi people are not qualified to judge current happenings in Nigeria, but as the saying goes: an old woman becomes uneasy when dry bones are mentioned in a proverb. The trauma that Odi went through under President Obasanjo is still a living memory.
“The Nigerian Army moved in tanks, the Nigerian Navy moved in warship and the Nigerian Airforce was overhead. All the forces of the Nigerian Federation were unleashed on the sleepy and unarmed rural community of Odi.
“All because some young people dared to ask for their rights. It was a time no one in Odi wishes to recall. Definitely, there are some lectures that Obasanjo may not be qualified to deliver, especially a lecture on how to disperse a peaceful protest without violence.
“On November 20, 1999, under President Obasanjo’s watch, the whole Odi community was razed down. Countless people were killed, old and young women, girls, boys and children. Our women and girls were raped.
“Times like these in our national history provide opportunities for reflection. What we expect from President Obasanjo is an unreserved apology to the Odi people.
“Delivering a sermon at this time on how to dialogue and peacefully disperse the protesters is like adding salt to injury. Our country has survived many crises in our history. Odi people believe and pray that this too shall pass.”
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