The Rivers state police command on Thursday, December 12, confirmed the killing of six people during a violent protest by angry youths in Chokocho, Etche local government area of the state.
Nnamdi Omoni, the command’s spokesman, confirmed the killing in a statement in Port Harcourt, denying reports that 15 people were killed during the deadly attack.
Omoni said: “The social media reports added that the angry youths also burnt a police station as well as engaged the army and police in a gun battle.
“Ordinarily, we would have ignored this baseless and unverifiable report that is intended to cause panic and tension in the state. In order not to allow the public form a dangerous opinion, we, therefore, thought it wise and expedient to correct this fake news.”
Omoni said the command had deployed mobile policemen after receiving a distress call on Dec. 7 following a blockage of Okomoko-Chokocho Bridge by protesters.
According to him, “Thereafter, a team led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Joseph Anche, recovered five corpses in a river in the area. “This discovery, however, sparked off another round of protest, which our men were able to contain.
“At the end of the day, six persons were killed contrary to the 15 deaths reported, while no police station was burnt and no commuter was attacked and killed as speculated.”
Omoni maintained that the policemen, on arrival at the scene, dismantled the barricade and restored normalcy to the area.