By Oluwayemi Davidson
Aggrieved youths in the Niger Delta region on Tuesday embarked on a mass protest against the killing of one of their own allegedly by soldiers attached to Forcados Terminal at Ogulagha community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.
Trouble started following the alleged shooting on Monday night of 27-year-old youth, Endurance Oweiye Kalaepele, by the military men while the youngster was picking snails with his team of snail hunters.
The community youth was reportedly shot twice by the military men at about 11:00 p.m. on Monday.
As early as 8 o’clock in the morning on Tuesday, scores of aggrieved youths of Ogulagha community trooped out in protest, destroying company vehicles and property.
They also barricaded major roads in the community to express their anger.
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The youth president of Ogulagha community, ThankGod Iyaragba, told journalists that the deceased was with six others hunting snails late Monday night when he was allegedly shot dead by soldiers.
He said, “Around 1000p.m yesterday (Monday), six of the community boys went to the bush behind Forcadoes Terminal, the Pipeline bush, for snail picking, but were intercepted on their way back by the military men.
“One of the boys, Endurance, tried to run out of fear, but was shot twice at close range.
“This infuriated youths of the community to go on the rampage destroying company vehicles and property.
“They have also taken over the major roads in the community to express their anger”.
When contacted, the police public relations officer ((PPRO) for Delta State Command, DSP Bright Edafe told our correspondent that he was yet to get details of the incident as of the time of filing this report.
But the Special Assistant to Delta State Governor on Political Matters, Comrade Ozobo Austin described the killing of the 27-year-old youth by suspected soldiers in the Forcados terminal as “unprofessional, provocative, barbaric”.
This, the governor’s aide said, could incite unrest in the community.
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Ozobo, while sympathizing with the entire Ogulagha community and the bereaved family, appealed to the aggrieved youths to calm their frayed nerves assuring that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa will investigate the incident and bring to book every soldier that is involved in the dastardly act.
He maintained that the unlawful killing of the young youth in Ogulagha community should be outrightly condemned by every well-meaning citizen of the State insisting that it was wrong that the military has always been going for soft targets in the Niger Delta region.
Such attitudes, he said, displayed deep parallel lines between the citizens and the security agents just as he advised security authorities to always educate their men to remain civil when dealing with law-abiding citizens in the country.
