Okenyi Kenechi
Witnesses to the shooting to death of an unarmed protester, Alechi Woko at the Nkpolu axis of the East-West Road on Monday, have described as untrue claims by the military that it had no hand in the shooting.
The community barricaded the East-West road on Monday to draw the attention of the government over the persistent flooding which has ravaged the country.
The Military, through the spokesman of 6 division, denied claims it opened fire on the protesters leading to the death of Woko while several orders were left with several degrees of injuries.
According to the spokesman, the protesters attacked the convoy which was on its way to Bayelsa but the soldiers had to withdraw back to base.
But some of the witnesses who spoke to Theportcitynews.com on Wednesday, said the army cannot deny knowledge of the shooting which left over 10 other persons with various degrees of bullet wounds.
According to Mr Dike “The shooting began when the local government chairman, Solomon Eke came to address the protesters. The DSS officer in the military convoy wanted to forcefully remove the table used in barricading the road but one of the youths confronted him leading to the DSS officer stabbing the youth with his dagger”
“While the commotion ensued, the officer opened fire and the bullet hit Alechi on the stomach while bullets ripped through the legs of others”
Dike denied claims that the protesters attacked the military, saying that some soldiers who were blocked from passing through the road earlier, diverted and followed other routes.
Another witness told theportcitynews that the victim was a welder who was settled earlier in the year and was supporting his family before the unfortunate incident.
A family member of the deceased told theportcitynews that the community chairman, Edwin Woke and the youth president has taken up the matter with the relevant authorities to bring the officer who shot their brother to face the law.
He said the family has been in turmoil since the death of their son.
