A nursing mother and six other women of Oteri community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State that protested against police extortion were yesterday shot at and rushed to the hospital for survival.
The women allegedly took to the streets after their children, whom they claimed were on errands, were arrested and detained, and N150,000 and N200,000 respectively were collected to bail each of them.
The President-General of the community, Mr Efe Erakpofoke-Peter, who condemned the action of the trigger-happy policemen that shot at the protesting women, said the extortion had become an incessant harassment from the policemen attached to Ughelli Area Command.
The leaders of the women, Madam Harvest Ugbhwiako and Mrs. Vivian Aphiare, in their separate remarks said it was a peaceful protest but on arrival at the gate of the Area Command, they were rebuffed, attacked, tear-gassed and shot at by the men of the command.
They said they staged the protest, following the extortion and bribes being collected from their children who are commercial motorcycle and tricycle riders.
“Because of police extortion, once it is 8p.m, you cannot get motorcycles or tricycles to carry you to where you are going. Old men and women will have to trek long distances from the Ughelli main market every day because of police harassment.T
“Thisresulted to many of us sustaining various degrees of injuries and they were rushed to the hospital for treatment. Prior to this, we were in a peaceful protest to the Palace of Ovie of Ughelli kingdom to register our grievances”, Ugbhwiako said.
She said this happened after the Area Commander called to appeal to the women to go home and their complaints would be addressed.
“But before we pass the message round, what we heard next was that police habe started shooting and tear-gassing the protesters, leaving many with injuries”, the President-General lamented.
He said the women have no other choice than to protest against the random raid of their sons for which they paid N200,000 to bail each of them.
“Recently the police embarked on random arrest and ransacking of houses, belonging to the youths of the community and carted away their personal belongings, and detained so many of them.
“Our community is peaceful and law-abiding. Police should stop making life difficult for us. They are making life difficult for the poor and innocent citizens in Oteri.h
But the Ughelli Area Commander, ACP Adebayo said his office was already looking into the complaints from the community with a view to sanctioning any police officer found wanting.
He said he had since disbanded the squad of hunters, operating mischievously under the command
