Lt. E. D. Oworobo, the Nigerian Army Unit Commander stationed at Ovre-Eku community, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State has explained the reason why he ordered protesters to be flogged.
The Commander revealed this to a police source adding that the reason he ordered his men to flog the women who had embarked on a peaceful protest to show their grievance over a disputed land claimed by PRESCO Oil Company was because the protesters attempted to disarm his men.
Last Wednesday, the Commander and men of the 4th Brigade Command in Benin-City, Edo State had flogged the women engaged in a peaceful protest at the Ovre-Eku community, in an attempt to clear his name, sources revealed that the Commander, Oworobo, contacted the District Officer of Eku Police Station to give his account of what happened.
Oworobo, while speaking with the DO, Mr. Andrew Efejedia, said the peaceful protesters tried to disarm his men, stating that he had no other option than to order his men to disperse the women protesters using minimal force.
Oworobo also added “Don’t you know it is a crime to carry a charm according to the Criminal Code of Nigeria?” directing the question at the DO.
Meanwhile, Theophilus Onojeghen and Bolaji Ogundele of The Authority and The Nation newspapers respectively have also been threatened by Oworobo for asking questions as regards the incident.
Oworobo called the journalists mad men, he was quoted to have said; “You’re an idiot. You’re a mad man. Why are you calling me? So I should report to you abi? Who are you to call me? If you ever call me in your life, I’ll deal mercilessly with you.”