BY GODWIN IJEDIOGOR
THE Delta State Police Command has dismissed reports of one protester being shot during a protest in Ughelli on Monday, May 6, insisting that the protesters were only dispersed using teargas.
A statement by the Command’s spokesman, Bright Edafe (SP), said: “The Command is aware of an allegedly sponsored protest in Ughelli North Local Government Area today, May 6, 2024, and wishes to debunk the false narratives currently being circulated in some sections of the media that policemen shot at peaceful protesters.
“The Command wishes to state that nobody was shot during the protest, as teargas was rightly used to disperse the protesters. For the avoidance of doubt, and to put the record straight, the Command wishes to state as follows-
“On 6th May 2024, about 1130 hours, some members of Oteri community, Ughelli, approached the Area Commander in Ughelli and requested that policemen be withdrawn from the expressway.
“The Area Commander declined and informed them that the deployment was in compliance with the directive of the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Abaniwonda Olufemi, on the need to ensure Police presence in that area to prevent kidnapping and other crimes.
“Surprisingly, women from the community, in their numbers, forcefully stormed the Area Command premises in a violent protest, beating up a policeman in the process, but they were dispersed with the use of tear gas.
“The report making rounds that policemen shot at peaceful protesters is false and should be completely disregarded.
“The commissioner of Police sues for calm and reiterates that the Command will not succumb to pressure from any quarters, because the adequate protection of life and property is the constitutional mandate of the Police and remains the priority of the Command.”
