Police, Vigilante trade blame over the shooting of protesters in Delta

…Women who led the protest, 17 others arrested, detained at Asaba

By Shedrack Onitsha,

Three days after the alleged shooting of armless protesters in Sapele, Delta State, by security personnel drafted to check the protest, authority of the Nigerian Police Force and the local security outfit, Vigilante is trading blame as to who fired the shot that left three protesters lying critically ill at the hospital.

Recall that women in their hundred allegedly led by Mrs Rosslyn Akpamrdo, who is now been detained at Asaba, took to the street of Sapele on Wednesday in a protest against what they described as insensitivity of the state government who extended #COVID-19 lockdown for 14days without palliatives.

The woman who led the protests over the state government extension of lockdown in Sapele, Delta State, Mrs Rosslyn Akpamrdo, was on Wednesday arrested by the police, just as the police and vigilante trades blame over who shot the protesters.

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Meanwhile, there have been several reports about the shooting of protesters on Wednesday in Sapele, where 3 persons are now being hospitalised for gunshots wounds and two others for injures from the stamped.

The victims, a 15 years old boy, Christian Okeogwale, Ini Enoh, 17 years old and three others including a girl, were shot during a protest over the lockdown extension, however, no one has been arrested in connection to the shooting.

ADVOCATE investigation revealed that, while the police authorities are certain that their men didn’t fire the shot, while multiple sources said that the Chairman of the Vigilante may have allegedly pulled the trigger.

A source who pleaded not to have his name in print told Advocate that a vigilante shot the victims; hence the mob attack at the home of the vigilante chairman, Mr Victor Asikoro, and that for the timely intervention of the police, his house would have been razed.

“We were shot by a vigilante as we were protesting and after he shot at us when he saw the outrage, they all ran away. Some of the youth went to the Chairman’s house, but for the DPO, who led his men to disperse the mob, he would have lost his house.

ALSO READ: Update: Boy, 15, one other shot as women protest against lockdown turn bloody in Delta

“The protest has been peaceful and from MacPherson road, we went to Reclamation road, where they, (Vigilantes ) first confronted us and it was at front of EJ eatery that they came again and when the local government chairman left, again, they confronted us and they started shooting at us.”

When contacted to know if those fingered to have shot the protesters have been arrested, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Onome Onowakpoyeya told our correspondent that though 18 persons have been arrested, she said she could not confirm if anyone has been arrested for the ‘shooting.’

With no confirmation of an arrest, the question begging for answer is who shot the protesters and why is it so difficult for the police authority in the state to fish out those who shot the protesters if its men are innocent as they claim?

Meanwhile, the women who allegedly led the protest, Mrs Rosslyn Akpamrdo popularly call the lady in red was arrested on Wednesday night in her home, around Oguanja area, a source who craved anonymity told ADVOCATE.

Mrs Akpamrdo was a businesswoman who was fed up with the lockdown and 17 others including some young boys were arrested and taken to the state police headquarters at Asaba and have been in detention since on Thursday.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Onome Onowakpoyeya confirmed the arrest, “Yes, we arrested some persons including the woman who led the protest and they are now with us in Asaba” she said.