Police confirm arrest of officers in Abraka shooting, as victim placed on intensive care

By Stephen Asaba-ase

The Delta State police command has confirmed the arrest of policemen involved in the shooting of a young girl in Abraka, Delta State.

Speaking with our correspondence, the Delta State based activist Comr. (Amb) Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen, National Coordinator,

Initiative for Social Rights Concerns And Advancements (ISRCA)

AKA, “No Justice, No Peace Initiative, said the ill-fated miss Rukevwe was stabilised yesterday after being rushed to the hospital.

The rights activist stated that he was reliably informed by the state police spokesman, Edafe Bright that the erring police officers had been arrested and currently detained in the state detention centre.

He said, “At late last night, after Miss. Rukevwe Hilda John was stabilized, she was referred from Dunflux hospital, Abraka to Lille Hospital Warri, where she was rejected, as her conditions requires specialized knowledge, as the wounds from the bullets penetrated through her intestine, down through her kidney, which requires proper examinations before the surgical procedures. She was later received at the Oghara Teaching Hospital, Oghara at around 2:30am, where she was being attended to and prepared for a surgical session.

“Interestingly, Miss. Rukevwe Hilda John is a final year student of the Delta State University, Abraka, from the department of Physiology, where she’s supposed to sign-out tomorrow.

“We’ve interviewed the doctor in-charge of the emergency unit, Oghara Teaching Hospital, Oghara; Dr. Paul Onuigbo, who had assured us that they’ll do all they could to ensure a smooth process. Also, the Director of Health, Delta State University, Abraka; Dr. Simeon Onakugwortor has been on the ground since last night to ensure Miss Rukevwe is given the best of attention.

“Meanwhile, the Delta State Police Command, through the Commissioner of Police, CP Surajudeen Olufemi Abaniwonda should not hesitate to probe into the circumstances surrounding the incident, bringing the Police Officers responsible to book. From the response of the DPO, Abraka; SP Fabian Ayameh, who had detained five workers on the site, where the road construction is ongoing, that had witnessed the incident but played too ignorant until they later cooperated.

“SP Fabian Ayameh in a chat with the victim’s family, said that the contractor in-charge of the ongoing project, where the incident occurred, had promised to take full responsibility for the cost and further excesses which did not go well with the family, friends, course mates and the civil society.

“We’re calling for immediate detention of the Policemen involved in the cowardly and dastardly act, as students and members of the civil society will not hesitate but will lead a protest until the Police officers are arrested and brought to book.

“We’ll stop at nothing until we get justice…” he added.