Police shot protesting students at Asaba

A peaceful protest of university students under the auspices of National Association of Nigeria Students and Joint Campus Committee (NANS/JCC) within and around Delta State who had come out in their numbers

Author: By Brisibe Perez

A peaceful protest of university students under the auspices of National Association of Nigeria Students and Joint Campus Committee (NANS/JCC) within and around Delta State who had come out in their numbers to protest the continuous industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) at the State capital, Asaba turned bloody as men of the Delta State Police Command, who had come out to monitor the exercise were said to have fired live bullets into the crowd of students in a bid to disperse the crowd.

Speaking on the incident, a student who spoke on anonymity stated that, “Having meticulously survived the recent face-off between ASUU and the Federal Government, they in Delta State decided to go on a peaceful rally to register their dissatisfaction at the slow space of handling the issue which they argued is detrimental to the future of the Nigeria students.

“We embarked on the rally on the 22nd of August, 2013 after writing to Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba and Director of State Security (SSS) intimating them of our intention to go on a peaceful protest. To our dismay, the Nigeria police did everything possible to obstruct our effort by first of all arresting the Student Union President of Delta State University Abraka, Agboroli Joshua and other students on their way to Asaba along the expressway, before the Asaba International Airport.

“After much trouble and intervention, the arrested students were released. Despite the police effort to obstruct our peaceful rally, we finally succeeded in convening at summit junction, with the intention of moving on to the SSG’s office along Okpanam road by Zenith Bank, where we wanted to register our grievances to the government. It was at that point police said we should not move further.

“One Mr. Ifeanyi Emmanuel of the Nigeria police Asaba then ordered the police to shoot at the harmless students who were going about their protest, peacefully. He said the order to shoot at the students was an instruction from an ‘Oga at the Top’ whom he later identified as Delta State Commissioner of Police.

“In the course of the police shooting sporadically and firing canisters of tear gas, many students and even Journalists sustained various degrees of injuries, with three students critically injured. They are presently receiving treatment at St. Joseph Hospital Asaba,” the student reported.

The students who alleged that the State Government did not show any interest about the plight, however appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar to investigate the issue and bring the trigger happy policemen to justice.

Another student, Prince Uhrorho Koyoyo who was among the protesters while recounting his ordeal, said, “While the protest was going on, we were heading peacefully to the office of the Secretary to the Delta State Governor, when the police arrived and stopped us along Okpanam Road in front of Zenith Bank and asked us to turn back.

“While we were contemplating on what to do, they opened fire and started shooting with live bullets and canisters of tear gas at the students and some Journalist present scampered for safety.

“Unfortunately, a 300level physics student of the Delta State University, identified as Ochuko Agagbe was not lucky as the others, as he was hit by the shots from the police. I and another student had to carry him as we ran for safety.

“Despite all these, the police was still not deterred as they chased us. We later reassembled behind Bellyhood Hotel to decide what next,” Koyoyo stated.

However, it was gathered that seven of the protesting students were arrested, but were subsequently released.

When the State Public Relation Officer, Mr. Lucky Uyabeme was contacted on the matter, as at the time of filing in this report, he said he was going to get the complete update on the situation following a press release issued by the State Commissioner of police, but he never sent the press release as at the time of going to the press.

Meanwhile, the State Police Command was quick to issue a publication with the caption, “NANS Protest in Asaba: Police Warn Parents” on the August 26^th edition of the Vanguard Newspaper.

According to the publication credited to the State Commissioner of Police, it reads in part, “We have information that the protest is being sponsored by some unidentified persons and that hoodlums will hijack it to cause unrest in the State and the Police cannot fold its hands and watch people cause problems.”

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