Daily protests by residents of Abraka, Ethiope East local government area of Delta State and students of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, have turned bloody.
They have been staging daily protests to demand urgent action from the Delta State government and security agencies over the escalating cases of kidnappings in the university community.
The protesters accused local police of neglect and complicity, claiming that kidnappers now operate with impunity in the town.
The protest, which had entered its sixth consecutive day, was initially peaceful until the arrival of heavily armed security personnel, including soldiers and police officers.
Despite the fact that the area commander had addressed the protesters earlier in the day, assuring them of planned police operations to comb the surrounding bush in search of the kidnappers, a security man was said to have opened fire on one of the protesters.
Eyewitnesses said the agents fired warning shots to disperse the crowd, causing panic and injuries.
“Though no deaths were reported yet, one protester sustained a facial injury and was seen bleeding profusely.
“The people are tired of being hunted like animals. We’ve begged the police to act, but the kidnappers are growing bolder by the day. Now they’re responding with bullets instead of protection.”
According to reports, students of DELSU had earlier joined the protest on Monday after their Students Union Government (SUG) issued a 72-hour ultimatum on May 29 to the state’s Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, to restore security in the area.
The SUG president, Augustine Onovughegor, voiced the students’ anger and led a temporary walkout, warning they would return if no concrete action were taken within two days.
Eyewitnesses said the situation escalated after a protester allegedly stoned a security agent while the response was swift and severe, as security personnel allegedly opened fire to forcibly disperse the crowd.
“Protesters scattered in fear, with many taking refuge in nearby buildings,” eyewitnesses said.
Delta State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bright Edafe, confirmed that the commissioner of police had directed the area commander to take control of the situation in Abraka.
“The area commander is handling the matter, and the protesters have dispersed. It was later that we heard that somebody was shot, and until now, nobody has brought the DPO to the alleged victim to confirm this.
“If they said somebody was shot, they should be able to give us a name and location,” Edafe said.
Meanwhile, the Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) has condemned the use of brute force and excessive violence by members of the Nigerian Army to suppress the peaceful protests.
A statement by the chairman, DOPF, Emmanuel Enebeli, and DOPF secretary Onitsha, revealed that the protests were organised by students, residents and indigenes of the university town to draw attention to the alarming rise in insecurity and rampant cases of kidnapping, which have become a daily occurrence in the area.
