Hunger protest turns violent in Delta, council chair escapes lynching

A previously peaceful hunger protest in Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, turned violent on Friday as Policemen stationed at the Otovwodo axis of the East-West road allegedly shot and injured a yet-to-be identified protester.

The incident triggered other protesters to burn tyres and pelt local government officials with sachet water.

For the second day running, protesters converged at the popular Otovwodo junction, causing traffic gridlock on the East-West Road.

Travelers from Benin to Port Harcourt and other parts of the Eastern region were stranded for several hours.

Following the alleged police shooting, the protesters, including market women, forcefully chased away the Chairman of Ughelli North LGA, Jaro Egbo and his aides when his motorcade was sighted at the scene.

Egbo narrowly escaped being lynched by the angry protesters and Otovwodo market women for allegedly instructing his aides to dislodge the protesters.

However, the press secretary to the Council Chairman, Efe Ekete, denied the allegation, stating that the Chairman had come to appeal to the protesters not to attack the security agents.

One protester, who wished to remain anonymous, told journalists that they “were not carrying anything dangerous except for the placards when the police double-crossed them and started shooting tear gas.”

“While shooting tear gas, the police were being pelted with sachets of water by the protesters. As they were driving away, they opened fire on the protesters, and one person was hit in the chest,” the source alleged.

The injured protester was rushed to a hospital by security agents.

A human rights activist, identified as Comrade Silver, blamed the police from ‘A’ Division, Ughelli, and Ughelli Police Area Command for arresting and shooting at the protesters.

Silver said, “I pleaded with the protesters not to disrupt the Otovwodo market because today is Otovwodo market day and hoodlums could seize the opportunity to molest the market women and loot their goods.

“I appealed to them to start their protest from Agbarha-motor junction to Afiesere junction. Suddenly, while still in the market area, I saw police officers chasing a car, stopping the driver, and tear gassing the occupants. The market women and protesters resisted the arrest and the police started shooting teargas and live bullets.

“When the DPO arrived, I approached him and we both went to the station, and the boy was released, restoring peace.”

He continued, “I learned they shot a person. Though I did not see him, I was told that the Army rushed him to the hospital.”

When contacted, the leader of the military personnel deployed to Otovwodo junction, Bukar Dabo, said he did not see anyone shot by police, as claimed by some.