A peaceful protest in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State took a dramatic turn on Thursday when police allegedly shot and injured a young dispatcher, Kester Eloho Ben, in the Otovwodo area along the East-West road.
Ben, a dispatcher in his twenties, was en route to Uwheru community to deliver a herbal drug to a client when he was struck by a stray bullet. According to Ben, the incident occurred as he was waiting for a motorcycle or tricycle. He described the moment of being shot: “I felt something strange in my left arm as I was about to board a bike. My phone fell, and I noticed my hand was shaking. It was a stray bullet from the police that hit me.”
Ben, who was not involved in the protest, was quickly transported to a hospital by a passerby after the police showed no immediate concern. He emphasized his innocence, stating, “I was simply going to deliver an item when I was shot.”
The shooting intensified the protest, which had been initially peaceful. Demonstrators responded by burning tires and throwing sachets of water at the police. One protester described the scene: “The police blocked the protesters from reaching the Otovwodo junction and started firing tear gas. In the chaos, they opened fire, hitting one person in the chest.”
Human rights activist Comrade Silver recounted the events, stating that the protest was peaceful until the police intervened aggressively. “We had advised the protesters to avoid disrupting the Otovwodo market day, and they complied. However, the situation escalated when the police began targeting the protesters, leading to the shooting and subsequent arrest of a young man.”
Silver further noted that the market women’s reaction included throwing water and stones at the police, who then responded with tear gas and live ammunition. “Peace was eventually restored after the DPO intervened and the injured boy was released from custody.”
The exact identity and condition of the injured protester remain unclear, though reports suggest that he was rushed to a hospital by military personnel. The incident has raised concerns about the use of force by law enforcement during civil demonstrations.
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