August 6: Police didn't shoot dispatch rider, hoodlums did with pump action gun, Group declares, visits victim in Delta hospital

As the #Endbadgivernanceprotest# entered the sixth day in Nigeria, a group Citizen's Right Concern Enhancement Initiative a.k.a, Human Rights Protection Congress (HRPC)  on Tuesday, said the Police didn't shoot at the dispatch rider who was hit by stray bullet during the protest against hunger and hardship at Otowovdo, Ughelli, Delta State. The group insisted that bullets from a pump action gun from hoodlums got the dispatch rider seriously injured and hospitalised. 

The group's National Public Relations Officer, Comrade Harrison Itulua disclosed this in a chat with Our Correspondent when he led a powerful delegation to visit the victim  at the Central Hospital, Ughelli. 

Also visited at the hospital is a young boy who was knocked down by a reckless commercial tricycle operator that was on a very high speed. 

While maintaining that the Police did not shoot at the victim, Comrade Itulua said: "the Police only shot tear gas canisters to scare protesters". 

According to him: "When the incident occurred, the victim was facing the Police and backing the crowd. There was no way the Police  could have shot him. The Police only shot tear gas to scare protesters. When it happened, it was the Police that rushed down to rescue him."

Comrade Itulua whose other members include: Pastor Edewor Egedegbe(Board of Trustee Chairman), Comrade Monday Enudi(National Co-ordinator), Comrade Kelvin Ejumudo(National Secretary) was flanked by Comrade Obas Johnny in the visit. According to him, the organization has commenced payment of victims' medical bills with the deposit of two hundred thousand naira just as he   assured them that the organisation would clear up the entire medical bills within next few days. 

Speaking on the state of the victims,Comrade Itulua said:" They're doing very well. We will be visiting them again tomorrow. We spoke with the Medical Director and assured him that we will be laising with the accountant so that we can pay up their bills before they're discharged from the hospital. The little boy had a fractured leg after the accident. POP has been fixed in his leg."

It would be recalled that a dispatch rider was hit by stray bullet during the protest against hunger and hardship in the country on August 2. He sustained injuries and was rushed to the hospital for treatment. Another of the victim, a little boy was also crushed by a reckless commercial motorcycle operator wherein he had a fractured leg on same day.