The Delta State Police Command has denied shooting women of the Oteri-Ughelli community in the local government council who protested to the Ughelli Area Command over the extortion by Policemen on the roads.
The Spokesman of the Command, ASP Bright Edafe on Monday while responding to the report on X accused the women of being sponsored and stated that they were protesting against having Policemen on the roads and they also beat up a Policeman at the Area command.
“Na where them dey see una be this. Wise Nigerians will learn to ignore you guys. For the records, women who were suspected to have been sponsored came out in their numbers on protest that they dont want to see policemen on the road, forced their way into the Area Command premises, and beat up a policeman. They were forcefully dispersed with the use of tear gas. Nobody was shot, if anybody was shot, let’s see the medical report stating that they were shot.”
However, a report by SaharaReporters revealed that policemen attached to the Ughelli Area Command, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, shot at the protesting women who were in their hundreds which resulted in many being injured and taken to the hospital.
Speaking to newsmen, representatives of the protesting women, Harvest Ugbhwiako and Mrs. Vivian Aphiare alleged that the police arrested and detained their children and wards who were on errands unlawfully and collected between N150,000 and N200,000 before they were granted bail.
Reacting to the development at the emergency ward of the Ughelli general hospital where the injured women were taken to for treatment, the president general of the community, Efe Erakpofoke Peter condemned the action of the police saying that the women from the Oteri community were in a peaceful protest to the palace of Ovie of Ughelli kingdom and the area commander to register their grievances.
“The area commander called me to appeal to my people to go home that he would look into their complaints but before that what we heard next was that police started shooting and teargassing the protesting women leaving many with injuries. The women embarked on the protest following the incessant police extortion and bribes from their children doing legal business of Okada transportation.
“Again, once you come out of the community to Ughelli main town once is 8pm you cannot get motorcycles or tricycles to carry you because of the police extortion, our mothers and women will trek home from the Ughelli main market every day because of the police harassment and extortion on the motorists.
“Recently the police embarked on incessant arrest and vandalisation of houses belonging to the youths of the community and carted away their personal belongings, detailed them, and collected a huge amount of money from them without offense.
“The actions of Nigeria police in Ughelli contravene the police practice and are inhumane, our community is a peaceful community and law-abiding citizens, stop making life difficult for us, you are making life difficult for these poor and innocent citizens,” the community leader alleged.
Source: SaharaReporters
