ODYSA Member Alleges Harassment, Threat to Life

Ugo Aliogo

A member of OBI-DATTI YOUTH support ALLIANCE (ODYSA), Ms Ijeoma Emmanuel, has cried out to the Lagos State Police Command over the alleged harassment and threat to her life by gunmen at her Lagos residence.

In a statement, it was revealed that the gunmen interrogated her about the whereabouts of the Director of ODYSA, Ms Modesta Onyinye, who influenced youths to vote for the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate of Mr Peter Obi and his running mate Datti Baba-Ahmed.

The statement further explained that it would be recalled that Modesta Onyinye, who was vibrant on the X App and other social media platforms was passionately pushing the agenda of the LP presidential candidate as she consistently sensitised youths on Obi’s vision including his fiscal discipline, innovative policies, and investment in critical sectors such as security, education, socio-economic, and infrastructural development among others.

The statement remarked that her selfless campaign gained the LP presidential candidate a massive winning in Lagos as several supporters voted for the LP across the state.

The statement noted that Emmanuel, who claimed she doesn’t know the whereabouts of Onyinye, said she came under physical assault following her participation and support for the LP presidential candidate.

She said: “I am one of the staunch supporters of the presidential candidate Mr  Peter Obi, who is contested under LP. I supported the ideals and philosophy of the party, and under the tutelage of Modesta Onyinye, I participated in sensitising youths in Nigeria on good governance, voting for their conscience and the future of their children.

“Following my political activism, some people, who are not comfortable with that, have been threatening me, asking me for the whereabouts of my leader Modesta Onyinye.
 
“One of such threats occurred at my residence in Surulere on February 2nd when two armed men invaded my home and told me to tell Modesta to stop canvassing votes for Mr Peter Obi.”
   
Emmanuel, in the statement which she said mirrored the statement she made at the Ikeja Police Station over the matter, stated that the gunmen claimed that they were sent to kill Modesta Onyinye, but decided to warn her first.
  
According to her, the gunmen warned that if the votes of the polling unit of any wards in the state did not favour their candidate, that Modesta would pay with her life.

She alleged that the gunmen also harassed and threatened other members of ODYSA because of Modesta Onyinye.

“Some of our members have told me that they were slapped several times.”
 

Emmanuel stated that the latest of such attacks occurred on November 7, when thugs accosted her on her way  home from an event and shot at her, but she
narrowly escaped through divine intervention.

  
While calling on the Lagos State Police Command to take immediate action to save her life, Emmanuel said the threats had rendered her homeless for fear of being killed.

At the time of filling this report, Modesta Onyinye’s phone number was switched off and all efforts to reach her proved abortive.
   
Contacted, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Superintendent of Police (SP), Benjamin Hundeyin, said the Command would urgently look into the matter.
 
“This matter does not sound like what I am aware of, but I will verify the issue urgently,” he added.