A businesswoman, Ogechi Ekweme, residing in Oyigbo Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State have been hospitalized following an alleged attack by the members of a task force.
Ogechi was said to be reportedly attacked by the members of the task force while trading on 2 July.
She had been allegedly accused of having some of her wares placed along the road despite the ban against roadside trading in the local government area, says the injured woman’s husband, Mr. Ekweme Egwu.
He was reportedly rushing to the scene after hearing that his wife was being attacked. Upon arriving, he saw one of the task force members confiscating his wife’s mobile phone. Upon demanding the return of the phone, he was reportedly attacked alongside his wife.
The attack, as narrated by him, was carried out using dangerous weapons that left his wife with a deep cut in one of her legs. The woman had been first admitted to a private hospital and then moved to Rivers State University Teaching Hospital for medical treatment.
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The couple informed the Divisional Police Headquarters in Oyigbo. Egwu stated that the policemen, after noting the injury on his wife, gave them a medical report to treat her.
He also claimed that the council sealed up their shop, which he stated was their only source of income. He demanded that justice be served for those who acted contrary to the law.
Reacting to these claims, the Chairman of the Oyigbo Local Government, Akara Okechukwu, acknowledged that the officials of the council conducted enforcement in the area. He said this was done with the aim of enforcing the ban on roadside trading and urging traders to move to the newly created market areas.
But he denied giving any order to seal the shop of the couple. Despite this claim, a video allegedly showing the premises sealed up by the members of the task force was making its rounds online.
As of press time, the Rivers State Police Command is yet to comment
