In Ughelli, Delta State, what began as a peaceful protest by women from Oteri-Ughelli against alleged police harassment and extortion turned violent on Monday.
The women, armed with placards bearing their grievances, gathered at the Police Area Command office in Ughelli to air their complaints but were met with forceful dispersal by security operatives.
Eyewitnesses reported that the situation escalated when security operatives, including policemen, used heavy teargas and fired live ammunition at the unarmed protesters. One middle-aged woman was shot in the leg, while others sustained injuries from beatings and teargas exposure.
Leaders of the protesting women, Harvest Ugbhwiako and Mrs. Vivian Aphiare, accused the police of unlawfully arresting and extorting money from their children and wards. They claimed that their loved ones were detained for trivial reasons and released only after paying hefty sums as bail.
At the emergency ward of the General Hospital, Ughelli, where some victims were admitted, the President General of the community, Efe Peter, condemned the use of excessive force by the police. He expressed dismay over the police’s response to the peaceful protest and highlighted the community’s longstanding grievances regarding police harassment and extortion.
According to Peter, the Area Commander had promised to address the protesters’ concerns, but instead, security operatives resorted to violence, injuring innocent women in the process.
In response to the incident, the Police Area Commander, ACP Adebayo, assured journalists that the complaints raised by the community would be thoroughly investigated. He acknowledged the disbandment of a squad of hunters within the command and pledged to sanction any erring police officers involved in the altercation.
The clash underscores the need for dialogue and constructive engagement between law enforcement agencies and communities to address grievances and ensure peaceful coexistence.
