By Andrew Opukeme
File photo: Nigerian soldiers
YENAGOA- The peaceful protest started last week by students and parents at Amasoma community, the host community of the Niger Delta University (NDU) over hike of tuition fees and sacked hundreds of workers has turned bloody today as soldiers who were sent to restore normalcy shot two male youths death and others seriously wounded.
Daily Watch gathered that the protesters locked the University gate with key and the soldiers were directed to open the gate of the University which attempt to unlock the gate angered the protesters that led to confrontation as the soldiers opened fire at the youths and killed two male youths at the spot while others seriously wounded.
Right group, Ijaw people development initiative (IPDI) has condemned the killings and warned the Bayelsa state government to desist from killing harmless placard carrying protesters.
In a statement signed by the National President of the organization and Delta State house of assembly hopeful, Comrade Austin Ozobo, said ‘‘ Our attention has been drawn to a barbaric killing orchestrated by the government of BAYELSA state ,led by Governor Seriake Dickson where two young AMASOMA youths were killed in a cold blood while several others were wounded by Dickson killer police squad.
‘‘It may interest you to know that killing of young youths has never been a solution to issues related to students and aggrieved mother’s protests. Nigeria is a lawless state, or else there is nothing to justify this senseless killling.
‘‘The denial of Dickson saying he never orders police to kill the youths show his poor state of mind, if I may ask who send the police to AMASOMA community to force out protesting mother’s from the school gate. Is it the police that comes on their own without been send, it is barbaric and absurd.
‘‘It is a pity that Dickson who sworn on oath to protect lives of Bayelsans has turned to kill them. We are disappointed. Dickson has succeeded DISTROYING BAYELSA state. He gave our lands to killer herdsmen and when we protested, he brought police, army civil defence, air force to brutalized us’’ he said
