IYC DISRUPTS POLICE HEADQUARTERS OVER IJAW YOUTH KILLING

Tunji Wusu –

In an act of defiance against the police officer who killed one of their own, Alafuro Peterside, members of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) barricaded the police headquarters in Port Harcourt yesterday.

A police officer from the Police Mobile Force (PMF) 43 Squadron in Gombe State shot and killed Peterside last Thursday in front of a well-liked rest place in the Elekahia community of Port Harcourt City local government area in front of his wife and three children.

IYC President Jonathan Lokpobiri lamented the Nigeria Police’s unwillingness to see that the Ijaw youth’s murder was brought to justice during the demonstration.

We are here to condemn the extrajudicial execution of Alafuro Peterside, one of us, by a trigger-happy police officer last Thursday, said Lokpobiri. We are meeting with the Police today for this reason.

“One of the reasons is that the Police Command has not released an official statement regarding this incident, which occurred a few days ago. Every effort to fix this problem has been met with opposition and challenges.

But now, we have the chance to speak with the leadership of the Nigerian Police to find a solution, so that it doesn’t appear that we are adversaries compelled to coexist in a specific neighborhood.

Nwonyi Emeka, the commissioner of police in Rivers State, addressed the crowd and gave the youths assurance that the officer responsible for killing Peterside would be prosecuted as soon as possible.

I want you to comprehend something, Nwonyi said. First off, it is an offense against the state, not simply the Ijaw people, that your son was allegedly shot by the police. A crime against humanity, that is.

“No one who violates the law will escape punishment. I personally directed that the case be moved right away to the State CID’s Homicide Section on the day the crime took place.

“I also invited the man’s wife, with whom I had a direct conversation to get the details of what transpired on that critical day. I want to reassure you that the Nigerian Police have never planned to kill anyone in connection with the problem that has harmed a police officer.

“I want to reassure you that we will do our internal investigation before charging the case to court when it is time, based on the DPP’s recommendations. But I want to beg you to let the legal procedures run their course,” he continued.