Tambari Gbara Godwin, a native of Zaakpon Community in Khana local area of Rivers State and one of the protesting Julius Berger workers declared wanted by the Rivers State Government has gone missing, wife says.
Gbara, Gift Elenwo, two other staff of the company, Chiboso Glory Ejeku were on the 8th September 2021, declared wanted by the Rivers State Government for protesting against underpayment and obnoxious policies of the company against them.
Mrs. Godwin Onyekachi Gbara (34), the wife of Tambari Gbara Godwin, said her husband left their home on Monday, September 13 and has not yet returned.
She said his disappearance has caused her a great deal of psychological trauma.
Rivers State Ethnic Youth Leaders Coalition in partnership with the Center for Social Justice and Environmental Rights Protection on Wednesday urged the police and relevant authorities to ensure Mr Gbara is released unharmed.
Comrade Legborsi Yamaabana, President, RSEYLC said that since the inception of the ugly incident, both the RSEYLC and the CESJERP had been at the forefront of the advocacy for the declaration to be lifted.
He said that to their greatest chagrin, they got a call from Mrs Gbara, informing them that her husband left the house on Monday 13th September 2021 and has not returned.
“This has caused his wife, children and other members of his family mental and psychological trauma, and It is for these reasons and in a bid to bring the foregoing to the attention of Rivers people, the international and diplomatic community and the world at large that we have decided to call for this Press Conference.
“Every Nigeria citizen whether acting individually or in concert with others reserves the right to associate, protest and participate in public processions and demonstrations which are expressions of the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and association as guaranteed under sections 39 & 40 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and Article 11 of the African Charter of Human and People’s Rights Act.
“It is the law that government does not have the constitutional right to declare any person wanted. The power to declare citizens wanted rests with the Nigerian Police Force and the State Security Service. Thus declaring these three (3) persons wanted without any legal authority, the Rivers State Government has usurped the powers of both the police and SSS and in the process breached their fundamental rights to personal liberty, dignity and fair hearing as guaranteed by the constitution.
“It is against this backdrop that we sternly call on the Rivers State Commissioner of Police and other security agencies to leave no stone unturned in ensuring that Tambari Gbara Godwin is released from his abductors with 12:00 hours. We also call the Rivers State Government to lift the declaration on them to enable them to reunite with their family,” he said.
