…Bullets rock vicinity
By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
Diobu residents were on edge today from morning till afternoon as some men of the Nigerian army clashed with some angry youths who were protesting an end to police brutality as part of the ongoing nationwide EndSARS protest.
It was gathered that the youths, as early as 9 a.m., started flocking together around the Mile 2 axis of Diobu and about an hour later, began to set tyres on fire at different junctions of the popular Ikwerre Road such as Ikoku, Timber and a few others.
They were about heading to the Mile 1 axis before the army officers came to dislodge them.
The army officers, it was further gathered, drove from Mile 1 to Mile 3 axis, firing sporadic gun shots into the air as they moved with high speed, perhaps as a warning that they were ready for the protesters or whoever may want to cause breach of peace.
As a result of the sporadic shooting, the entire Mile 3 and Mile 2 area of Diobu was engulfed in tension and fear as people began to run helter skelter looking for where to hide for fear of being killed. Those who were going about their normal businesses in the usually busy Ikwerre Road were totally in disarray as some of them were caught unaware by the sound of the bullets.
Buses coming from Rumuokoro-Mile 4 axis as well as Iwofe and Choba had to hurriedly drop their passengers while some of the buses going to Mile 1 and Lagos/Borokiri diverted to Iloabuchi Road. Out of fear, some passengers threw caution to the winds, jumped out of the buses and scampered into nearby houses and shops for safety.
Apparently infuriated by the attitude of the security operatives, some of the boys started braking bottles of beer and hauling same at some shops and a few moving vehicles. Some of the boys also moved towards Mile 1 but were again confronted by some security agents led by the army, close to Emenike Junction.
A group of four boys in white singlets and trousers, with palm fronds on their necks, withstood the bullets as none could enter their bodies. The boys, said to have come from Abia State, attempted to catch one of the soldiers but only succeeded in seizing his cap and dagger, as the soldier luckily escaped.
However, the security agents mobilized and gathered around Emenike Junction and ensured that the boys did not get to Mile 1 Police Station which they allegedly feared could be burnt down by the youths.
It was further gathered that one of the boys was hit by bullets and in the process sustained injury.
As at the time of filing in this report, the police at Mile 3 Police Station had blocked one part of the road and people were seen raising hands as they passed through the area while all the buses coming from Rumuokoro, Choba and Iwofe were not allowed to cross the Rivers State University Roundabout.
