By Anne Osemekeh, Abuja
The Delta State Police Command has debunked reports that its operatives allegedly shot at women protesters in Ughelli North Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Edafe Bright, posited that police operatives used tear gas to disperse the protesters and no one was shot at.
The reports alleged that the women in their hundreds protested peacefully but on arrival at the area command were rebuffed, attacked, tear-gassed and shot at by the men and officers of the area command resulting to many of the women sustaining different degrees of injuries and taken to the hospital for treatment.
Refuting the allegations, the police said some members of Oteri community, Ughelli, approached the Area Commander, Ughelli, requesting the withdrawal of policemen from the express road. The request was turned down by the Area commander, who informed them that the deployment of operatives was the prerogative of the Commissioner of Police, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi, and that police presence in the area was to ensure the prevention of kidnapping and other crimes.
Surprisingly, the women from the community in their numbers forcefully stormed the Area command premises in a violent protest, and beat up a policeman in the process. The police then responded by using tear gas to disperse them.
“The report making rounds that policemen shot at peaceful protesters is false and should be completely disregarded”, Bright stated.
However, some community members insist that the women had been protesting the extortion of innocent commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators by police personnel, which has caused a hike in transport to Oteri because of how they (police) frequently extort any motorist plying that road.
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