Protests Turn Violent in Abraka, Delta State
Violence Erupts in Abraka, Delta: Peaceful Demonstrators Met with Gunfire from Security Personnel
A tense atmosphere engulfed Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, as security personnel reportedly unleashed a hail of bullets on unarmed protesters, leading to injuries and panicked dispersal.
The peaceful demonstration, instigated by residents and students of the Delta State University (DELSU), aimed to pressure authorities into taking decisive action against the escalating wave of kidnappings in the university community.
One protester, identified as Omena Ibokpo, was hit by a bullet, sustaining a severe facial injury, sparking widespread alarm as the crowd scattered amidst the gunfire.
Conflicting accounts surrounded the events, with eyewitnesses asserting that the security personnel, allegedly soldiers, opened fire on the unarmed demonstrators. However, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, maintained that no one was killed, though he admitted to one injured protester.
According to Edafe, the Area Commander was called in on the orders of Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda. When contacted, he stated, "Until this moment, nobody has been able to take the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to the person they claimed was shot so that we can see the person. If they said somebody was shot, they should be able to give us a name and location."
The incident marked the latest in a series of daily protests spearheaded by residents and students demanding urgent action to curb abductions. Growing frustration has stemmed from what protesters described as police inaction, which they claim has emboldened criminal gangs to operate with impunity.
Prior to the incident, the Students Union Government (SUG) President, Augustine Onovughegor, had issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the police to restore order or face increased student-led demonstrations. Following the meeting between the Area Commander and protesters, the SUG President, reportedly led DELSU students away from the protest ground, vowing their return if no progress was observed within 48 hours.
Shortly after the students departed, chaos erupted when a protester allegedly threw a stone at a security officer, prompting a response of indiscriminate gunfire to disperse the remaining crowd.
"Some protesters declined to vacate the venue. That's when the shooting started," one source reported. "It was clear they wanted to forcibly end the protest."
Civil rights activist, Victor Ojei, condemned the violence and demanded accountability from the authorities. "For days, Abraka youths have protested against relentless killings and kidnappings. Rather than address the suffering, soldiers were deployed to suppress them. Who gave the order to open fire?" he questioned.
Another activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, underscored the legitimacy of the protesters' concerns regarding kidnappings and urged the Delta State Government to intervene before the situation escalated further.
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