By Mathias Ogagba

LAGOS AUGUST 3RD (URHOBOTODAY)-As the nationwide protest entered its second day, what was thought to be a peaceful protest turned violent at Ughelli the administrative headquarters of Ughelli North local government area Delta State as protesters and market women at Otovwodo Ughelli chased the Ughelli North council boss, Hon. Jaro Omovudu Egbo, his entourage and policemen on duty.

The protesters in their hundreds converged at the popular Otovwodo junction Ughelli along East-West road causing deadlock to commuters plying the East-West leading from Benin to Port Harcourt and another part of the eastern region of the country.

Speaking to newsmen at the scene of the protest, a Human Rights Activist, Efe Elvis blamed the men of Nigerian police from ‘A’ Division Ughelli and Ughelli Police Area Command for arresting and shooting at the protesters.

His words, “I pleaded with the protesters not to disrupt the Otovwodo market because today is Otovwodo market day, hoodlum will seize the opportunity to molest the market women and loot their goods.

” I appealed to them to start their protest from Agbarha-motor junction to Afiesere junction, suddenly while still in the market area I saw police officers chasing a car and stopped the driver and teargas the occupant of the car and tried to take them to the police station but the market women and protesters resisted the arrest and police started shooting teargas and live bullets.

“I was told that one person was shot in the chest region and many were injured and one was taken to the police station but later released by the Divisional Police Officer, ‘A’ Division Ughelli”.

When contacted, Col. Bukar Dabo the leader of the Army deployed to Otovwodo junction said he did not see anyone shot by police as claimed by some persons that the victim of the police bullet would be rushed to the hospital by the Nigerian Army.

Meanwhile, the Ughelli north council boss, Barrister Jaro Egbo who came to the scene narrowly escaped being Lynched by protesters and Otovwodo market women for allegedly asking his boys to dislodge the protesters.

Reacting to the allegation, the press secretary to the Ughelli North council boss, Mr. Efe Ekete denied the allegation leveled against his boss adding that his boss and his boys were there to appeal to the protesters from attacking the security agencies.

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