BY JOEL GRANDBALL
The peaceful protest embarked on by protesters in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State took another twist on the second day as stationed at the Otovwstray bullet hit a dispatch rider.
The shooting of the protester triggered other demonstrators, who took to burning tyres and pelting officials of the local government with sachet water. A protester who spoke to our correspondent said, “We were protesting this morning (yesterday) with placards towards the Otovwodo junction and the police blocked us from coming towards the junction.
“We were not carrying anything dangerous except for the placards in our hands when the police double-crossed us and started shooting tear gas. While shooting tear gas, the police were pelted with sachets of water by the protesters and as they were driving us away, they opened fire on the protesters and one person was hit on his chest.
“Their sister security agents helped to rush the injured protester to one of the hospitals probably for the hospital to accept him since it was a bullet injury’’ the anonymous source alleged. A Human rights activist who identified himself as Comrade Silver said, “This morning we were here and it was very peaceful as were pleading with the protesters to calm down.
‘’We made them understand that today, being Otovwodo Market Day, some hoodlums might use the opportunity of the protest to loot items of the marketers. “We asked them to go towards Agbarha junction to start their protest and they obeyed. I was sitting down at the market when I saw a police van chasing a car, they blocked the car and threw a tear gas inside the vehicle. “As they were about to take the boy away, I pleaded with the police and the boy was released to me as the boys were about to leave, another police vehicle came and insisted that the boy must be arrested. “It was there the market women began to pelt them with water and stones and the police started shooting tear gas and live bullets, and in that process, they took the boy to the police station.“When the DPO came, I approached him and we both went to the station and the boy was released and peace returned. I learned they shot a person, though I did not see him, but I was told that the Army rushed him to the hospital. I do not know the name of the hospital they took him to but all I know was that there were gunshots.”
