DELTA: Police deny attacking protesting women in Ughelli

THE Delta State police authorities have refuted claims of assaulting women protesters in Ughelli, Delta State, yesterday. The denial follows some reports, alleging that police officers had fired at women from Oteri-Ughelli in Ughelli North Local Government Area.

The women were demonstrating against purported continuous harassment and extortion by policemen in the community.

According to the reports, a middle-aged woman was reportedly shot, and several others were injured to varying degrees during the protest in Ughelli.

The Delta State Police Command allegedly resorted to forcefully dispersing the protesting women, who were carrying placards with messages such as “Oteri-Ughell is a peaceful community with law-abiding citizens, stop making life difficult for us” and “Police are making life difficult for our poor and innocent citizens.”

Security personnel were said to have used heavy tear gas on the unarmed women, shot a middle-aged woman in her left leg, and beaten others severely.

Two leaders of the protesting women, Harvest Ugbhwiako and Vivian Aphiare, claimed that the police had unlawfully arrested and detained their children and wards who were running errands, demanding between ₦150,000 and ₦200,000 for their release on bail.

The President General of the community, Efe Peter, criticized the police for using live ammunition against peaceful protesters at the General Hospital, Ughelli, where victims of police gunshots were being treated.

In a statement to Channels Television today, the Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command, Edafe Bright, dismissed the reports as a “false narrative.”

He clarified that officers did not shoot at the protesters but acknowledged the use of tear gas to disperse them.

“The Command is aware of an allegedly sponsored protest in Ughelli North LGA today 6/5/2024 and wishes to debunk the false narratives currently being circulated on some sections of the media that Policemen shot at peaceful protesters. The Command wishes to state that nobody was shot during the protest, however, the use of tear gas was rightly used to disperse the protesters,” the statement said in part.

Bright explained that the incident occurred when members of the Oteri community approached the Area Commander Ughelli, requesting the withdrawal of policemen from the express road.

“The Area commander declined and informed them that the deployment was in compliance with the directive of the Commissioner of Police CP Abaniwonda Olufemi on the need to ensure police presence in that area to prevent kidnapping and other crimes.

“Surprisingly, women from the community in their numbers forcefully stormed the Area command premises in a violent protest, beating up a policeman in the process, and they were dispersed with the use of tear gas.

“The report making rounds that Policemen shot at peaceful protesters is false and should be completely disregarded,” the statement further said.

The Area Commander declined, stating that the deployment was in line with the Commissioner of Police’s directive to maintain police presence to prevent crimes like kidnapping.

The Commissioner of Police, Abaniwonda Olufemi, called for calm, emphasizing that the command would prioritize safeguarding life and property despite external pressures.