Three residents of Udo Ekong Ekwere area of Atan Offot community in the Uyo metropolis have been hospitalised after suffering varying degrees of gunshot wounds allegedly inflicted on them by a female operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
A resident of the community, Abasifreke Etim, who was physically assaulted explained that trouble started when officials of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) disconnected some defaulting homes, cutting and carting away their cables, which infuriated angry residents.
The local residents, who were said to have been miffed by the action of the PHEDC officials, had attempted to prevent them from going away with the cables, forcing the lady NSCDC operative to open fire to scare the angry youths away from attack, but three persons including a woman were caught by stray bullets.
“There was real horror at Atan Offot community when some dare-devil untamed officials of the NSCDC attacked the peaceful community, opening sporadic gunfire at citizens, mortally injuring at least three persons, who are now lying critically ill, but responding to treatment in various hospitals in Uyo,” the resident said.
Narrating further, he said at some minutes pass 10:00 am, in the morning, officials of the PHEDC led by a certain Daniel, who was described as a notorious serial extortioner who steals customers cables, led some officers of the NSCDC to the area to disconnect some customers, and made away with their cables.
“One of the owners of the cable requested to have his cable back, insisting that his cable be left for him, but the said Daniel collected a jack knife from one of the NSCDC officials, and stabbed one persons in the hand.
“Then a lady official of the NSCDC squatted on the ground on one knee, and opened sporadic fire in the community, and persons who were not even at the scene of the scuffle, were hit by stray bullets including a woman, identified as Helen Ime Okon, who was selling her wares across the road but was fatally injured in the neck while bending to attend to a customer.
“A young man shot at point – blank range in the leg, and another visitor who was passing by the road was hit in the hand and the buttocks. After the sad incident, the PHEDC officials that procured the NSCDC officers to carry out this unprovoked attacks on the citizens, got reinforcement from the Police, and went round the community arresting, assaulting, harassing, and brutalizing citizens, including minors at random,” the resident stressed.
Meanwhile, the matter has been reported to the Police by the village head, Etteidung Alfred Ekong, who, led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the ‘C’ Division, appraised the situation, advising the NSCDC officials against indiscriminate use of firearms against defenceless civilians.
Speaking to our Correspondent, a human rights lawyer and Convener of the Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community (AHRC), Clifford Thomas, has vowed to take up the matter with the appropriate authorities, “to ensure that justice is done to all persons so that this belligerence is not repeated in the society.”
“The officers involved in this infraction and near-unlawful killing situation should be apprehended, investigated, prosecuted, and the appropriate sanctions imposed according to the laws of the land. We shall brief our team of lawyers, involve all known human rights organizations, including the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and the NBA Uyo Human Rights Committee,” he stressed.
However, the NSCDC Public Relations Officer (PRO), Friday Ekerete, confirmed the incident, saying the officer in question acted in self defense to prevent being lynched by the angry mob, adding that she only fired warning shots in the air to scare the mob away.
According to him, the State Commandant of the Corps, Engr Eluwade, deeply regretted the incident that has the potential of straining the long – cherished cordial relationship between the NSCDC State Command and Atan Offot residents.
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