Edith CHUKU
Residents, business and school owners in Elijiji, Woji Community in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, have not had peace since Saturday, following a clash between the police and angry youths of the community, who were on protest.
The protest by the Woji youths was as a result of the murder of Mr. Kenneth Nyebuchi Eke, who is a younger brother to a former chairman of the LGA, Solomon Eke.
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Youths of the community took to the street to express their grievance and seek justice for Eke, who was said to have been allegedly murdered by police officers who were called by his tenant to arrest him for allegedly throwing the tenant properties outside.
The videos and pictures of Eke, whose corpse was reported to have been discovered in Chococho, Etche, with bruises and injuries, angered the youths who went on a demonstration, made bonfires with tyres on the major streets in the area, to seek justice for their brother.
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A certain Mr. Christopher Ebube, explained that, “it has not been an easy one. The gunshots were indeed terrifying, I tell you, there is panic everywhere, even as I speak with you, people are still afraid.
“I condemn the killing of that young man, if truly it is the police that killed him, then they should face the full wrath of the law.
“Yes, we want to beg the youths, please, we are all suffering it, all of us, we have lost someone, we should not fight ourselves and also destroy our things. Some peoples shops were looted like I heard, no, let us go to the police and ensure that the young man gets the justice he deserve.”
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Another resident, on the grounds of anonymity said, “it is a serious matter indeed. We have not had peace in Elijiji, Woji since Saturday up till yesterday night, these boys go about shooting and bugging into shops and disposing them of their goods.
“A man was said to have had his POS and N300,000 collected from him. Woji have not felt safe too. We now live in uncertainty in Elijiji.”
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A woman spoke concerning her children’s school. “Students on Saturday who closed for weekend attendance were locked up in school as noise of gunshots made waves.
“Shops yesterday closed before 7pm. Extension classes for our children in JSS3 and SS 3 was canceled due to the community unrest.”
She added that, “we want peace to return to Elijiji.”
