By Felix Ekwu
A Dangote trunk driver was on Wednesday morning killed at Ugbolu community near Asaba, the Delta State capital by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who invaded the community to enforce sit-at-home order.
Confirming the incident during a press briefing on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Delta State Police Command in Asaba, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Ari Ali Mohammed, said three vehicles and one tricycle (Keke) were damaged in the attack with others scampering for safety through the bush.
Giving an account of what happened, the Police boss said, “Unfortunately this morning at bout 0600hrs, I got an information that some where at the outskirts of Asaba on your way to Ugbolu, a small community outside the metropolis the IPOB/ESN blocked the road using wood and other materials they could find available.
“Unfortunately for them, my men equally were on their way, but most unfortunate was the fact that Dangote trunk that was loaded with Cement on its way from Okpella coming to Asaba was intercepted at that particular roadblock in the process the driver was asked to come down. They now asked him what he was doing on the road in spite of their directive that there should be a sit-at-home.
“He told them that he wasn’t aware of that sit-at-home order. They shot him point blank and they killed the driver. We raced there unfortunately they had deserted that spot.
“Consequently upon that we went round the whole of Ugbolu in search of these hoodlums that call themselves IPOB/ESN, unfortunately to no avail. But I want to assure residents of Delta State that this Command under my watch will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that peace and security are guaranteed in this state.
“As it is everywhere within the metropolis and of course outside the metropolis apart from this incident that took place this morning people are going about their lawful businesses. That tells you that the Command is capable and of course able to protect lives and property of citizens of this state. And that we will continue to do.
“We are not going to allow any hoodlum under the guise of ESN or IPOB to come here in the first place Delta is not part of South-East Nigeria and such their directive of sit-at-home cannot be enforced here. If they want to do that they should confine and restrict themselves to South-East region.
“I want to warn that whoever wants to dare or test our resolve certainly will see the other part of us here. And that we will not relent in providing security to the residents of this state.”
