Brave Dickson
The remains of slain, Christian Otene who was shot dead by an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) along NTA road, Port Harcourt have been buried amid tears and quarrels.
The deceased was laid to rest at his Benue State hometown at the weekend after his family was compensated with cash by the Rivers command of the NSCDC.
Quarrel broke out when some youths close to the family of the deceased learnt that the Rivers State commercial drivers union did not contribute financially to the burial of the deceased.
Some members of the drivers union who were delegated to attend the burial told our correspondent that when they could no longer tolerate the manner with which they were being abused for not contributed to their colleague’s burial, they decided to react which led to a shouting match at the burial venue.
“We left our important engagements and travelled all the way from Rivers State to Benue State to pay our last respect to our colleague who was killed by an NSCDC man attached to Wike’s taskforce, but we were disappointed by the way our late colleague’s family members treated us.
“They made us look as if we came to the burial because of their food and drinks. Some of them were calling us names which provoked us to talk back at them, “the delegation said.
When contacted, the father of the deceased, Godwin Otene told our correspondent that he pleaded with his people to stay calm, reminding them that NSCDC was to be blamed for killing his son, not the Rivers State commercial drivers union.
“He said, “I told my people not to make trouble with anyone; that what has happened has happened.
“In everything, I still give glory to God for He alone knows why He allowed a security agent to cut short my son’s life in vain.”
Not happy with the quarrel that ensued at the burial site, the Chairman, Urban Drivers Welfare Association of Rivers State, Lekia Isaac lambasted the family members of his deceased colleague, describing them as very ungrateful human beings.
Isaac narrated how his union assisted the family of his deceased colleague to secure a huge financial compensation from the NSCDC, adding that the union contributed money which was used to pursue justice for the deceased at the Rivers State Criminal Investigation Department.
You recall that on June 8, Christian Otene was shot dead by a trigger-happy personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps along NTA road over alleged violation of parking rules.
The deceased who was a commercial bus driver was on his lawful commercial bus business when the vehicle of the state taskforce on street trading and illegal motor park intercepted him over allegation of wrong parking.
While the deceased was explaining to the taskforce personnel that he did not violate the rules of wrong parking, a taskforce member brought out axe to hit his head.
The deceased held the axe and other taskforce members started dragging him.
As the deceased attempted to resist them, an NSCDC operative attached to the state taskforce shot him dead.
