A trigger happy police officer attached to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), Benin officce on Thursday allegedly shot a 400 level student of the University of Benin at the gate of the oil firm.
The 400 level student of the Department of Mass Communication, Juliana Martins, shot on her leg, was said to be a participant of the ongoing workshop of the Petroleum Industrial Act (PIA), an event organized by the NPDC.
Addressing newsmen at the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Benin, spokesperson for the Niger Delta Student’s Union Government and coordinator PIA workshop, Emieye Romeo, said they were at the firm’s gate to register their grievance before the management on how they were treated by the company.
He said they were at the company’s gate the previous day but were told to come back the next day.
Recall that the students had earlier protested to the company saying that some agreements were reached such as transportation and a cash incentive for about 50 persons and that at the end of the day, theamount that was agreed upon wasn’t granted, even the laptop was not provided. Instead they gave them an empty bag.
Emieye said being dissapointed by the organization’s inability to live up to its responsibility, they decided to take their protest to the gate of the company.
The coordinator of the group said that while they were still at the gate demonstrating peacefully, one DSP Emmanuel attached to the company, started shooting sporadically despite warnings from his superior colleague, and in the process, a 400 level student of the University of Benin was hit on her leg and was subsequently taken to the hospital for medical attention.
He called on the commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, to sanction the said police officer to serve as a deterrent to other officers who are so quick in taking laws into their hands.
While contacted, the Police image maker, SP, Bello Kontong, said he was at Okada and was yet to be briefed about the incident.
He however said he would find out as soon as he gets back to Benin.
