Security operatives in Delta State have apprehended 15 residents over last Monday’s protest by the Ndokwa ethnic nationality to alert the Federal Government that the people have lived in darkness for 20 years, notwithstanding that the government-owned Okpai Independent Power Plant, which supplies electricity to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and eight other states, is in their homeland.
The security officials also wounded some protesters and set ablaze several motorcycles belonging to residents who participated in the demonstration.
Sources told NDV that the police released some protesters after they paid various sums of money for bail.
Police didn’t collect money to release anybody — Edafe, PPRO
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, strongly debunked the claim that the police collected money to release any protester.
His words: “Nobody was released for money, please. Those arrested are to be charged in court. That is the directive of the Commissioner of Police.”
He also dismissed an allegation that the police set some protesters’ motorcycles ablaze, saying, “Firstly, the police did not burn motorcycles; the protesters had factions, and they attacked themselves.”
They collected N400,000 for bail — Ndokwa youth leader
An Ndokwa youth leader, who preferred anonymity, said, “Adoh Stanley, P. Venture, Adimali Endurance, Osuya Chukwunwike, Nzete Division, and Chineu are among those the police arrested.
“They were arrested in various locations, including one of the leaders named Stanley Adoh, who was arrested the next day at the Umuseti town hall.
“Our lawyer is making an effort to bail them out. However, some were released after they paid between N300,000 and N400,000 for bail. Mr. Stanley Adoh has been denied bail because of the non-payment of the N3 million demanded by the police. We hope that he will be arraigned in court on Monday (yesterday),” he said.
When asked why the peaceful demonstration descended into violence and led to the arrest of protesters and the use of tear gas, the youth leader replied,
“The police started shooting tear gas at protesters to disperse them, but they left the spot and moved to another location before the anti-riot policemen arrived from Asaba and started shooting at random, destroying people’s motorcycles with armored vehicles and setting one on fire.”
A victim, who slept in a police cell for two days, last Wednesday, Peter, told NDV:
“I did not participate in the protest but drove to a newly opened hotel in Kwale, the headquarters of Ndokwa West Local Government Area, to collect money from the owner on June 16 (the day of the protest) when policemen savagely confronted and pounced on me.
“I deal in electronics; the owner of the hotel bought some electronics from me and owes me some money. On that day, I went there to see if he would give me part of the money because there was no market on that day.
“I drove my car to the hotel, and I met some soldiers with an army vehicle parked in front of the hotel. I greeted them, and they even asked me, ‘Anything for us? I said nothing, but I am coming. After parking my car inside the hotel, I emerged to greet the soldiers as the police team pulled up with their Hilux and Sienna cars.
“Many people fled when the police started chasing them, but I chose to stand with the soldiers because I did no wrong. However, one of them approached me, took hold of my waist, and claimed that I was among the demonstrators. Before I knew it, more people joined him, and they began beating me up after I said that I had only come out this evening.
“They used everything on me, including tear gas, a cutlass, and a battle axe. I’m not sure what I did to them, and I questioned whether someone had paid them to murder me because what they’re doing to me goes beyond the protest over the power outage.
“A bystander who inquired as to why they were striking me with a battle axe was taken into custody.
“They pushed me into the Sienna vehicle after the beating. Inside the car, I noticed a lot of other people. After being carried to a junction, they motioned for us to descend, and we did. Before you know it, they asked us to return, so we did. They then transported us to the Ibusa Police Station.
“They transported us from Ibusa to the Rapid Response Squad before transferring us to the Asaba Police Headquarters.
“After two days in the cell, they collected N300,000 before releasing me on Wednesday.”
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