PROTEST IN PORT HARCOURT OVER DEATH OF CAB DRIVER

Protest in Rumuokoro (c) Ugwu Chinedu FaceBook

Following the killing of a taxi driver, popularly known as Oyibo by a mobile police officer at Rumuokoro junction on Sunday afternoon, the Association of Drivers Welfare has issued a 48 hours’ ultimatum to the Rivers State Police Command, to produce the unidentified police officer who shot and killed a taxi driver on Sunday afternoon.

The ultimatum was made public in a report by Nigeria Info Port Harcourt. The report stated that the spokesperson of the association, Chukwuemeka Ogu in an interview with its reporter, said drivers have endured too much maltreatment from unruly police officers in the area. He said if the police fail to announce the identity of the officer, “the police and the public will feel the impact of the drivers’ association.”

“We are giving him (Rivers State Police Commissioner) 48 hours to produce the culprits that have taken the life of our colleague. 
“Secondly, we have suffered in the hands of the police enough, and we do not want this to continue. If they cannot produce the young man, then the police and the general public will feel the impact of the Drivers Welfare, because we have now come out fully for them.
“They have been doing things to us that we have endured a lot, and now we want to ensure that things go the way they are supposed to, because we are human beings like they are.”

It was not clear what kind of action the association intends to take, although the report says legal action, but a widespread protest cannot be ruled out, after the demonstration by an angry mob yesterday, and the comment by Mr. Ogu. The association is also demanding for the release of Oyibo’s body.

Men of the Nigeria Police Force were deployed to the location yesterday to calm the situation. Shots were fired to calm the situation, and people were made to raise their hands as they walked passed the area. Some police vans and personnel are still stationed around the junction today.

CULLED FROM: TOUCHPH