Africa
UGHELLI —COMMERCIAL activities and vehicular movement were, yesterday, grounded for hours as protesters from Ekiugbo community barricaded roads within Ughelli metropolis, over alleged misconduct of Police and local security agents in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
But the state Police Command has said the protest by Ekiugbo community was a sham, aimed to mislead the public and detract from pursuit of justice by criminal minded individuals.
The protesters armed with placards bearing inscriptions such as ‘Police brutality is getting too much,’ ‘Police in Ughelli are fighting the innocents instead of criminals,’ ‘Too much of police illegal activities in the land,’ ‘Ughelli Police should allow our people free movement,’ among others.
They accused a section of the police and hunters attached to the Ughelli Area command of alleged kidnapping.
Addressing newsmen, the President General of Ekiugbo community, Bernard Baker, said: “We are protesting because of the evil being penetrated by hunters and few policemen.
“Lot of kidnapping have been going on in our communities and despite the efforts of the Ovie, UDU, President General, who brought all the communities Presidents-General to have a force as security is concerned and we have been doing the job.
“But the police are just there to terrorised and extort people as they move about with battle axe, PoS machine to transfer money from the suspect. It is surprising to see police officers with battle axe.
“We came to know that the hunters are the masterminds of kidnapping in Ughelli. Anytime there is an issue of kidnapping, the hunters will not come because they are hiding the kidnappers.
“Last week at the palace here, a Prince was brutalised by these group of people. We are here to tell our father, the king that all the rumours that the hunters in collaboration with some of the police are the brain behind the kidnapping in the town, and we want them to leave our kingdom for us to have peace.”
VANGUARD
14th February, 2024.
C.E.
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