Two motorcycle riders have been killed following a clash between commercial riders and the Delta State Task Force, leading to a protest on Monday.
The situation occurred on Sunday night, in the Okpanam road axis of Asaba, Delta State capital, following a clash between motorcycle and tricycle riders, and the Task force.
The commercial riders due to the development embarked on a protest against the Task Force on Monday, allegedly destroying properties at the Task Force office.
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Videos made available to THE WHISTLER by the State Police Command showed how a Siena vehicle and an operational truck belonging to the Task Force were allegedly destroyed during the protest.
Videos circulating on X, also showed a group of people blocking the road with motorcycles while properties of the former Secretariat of the Post Primary Education Board, located along Summit Road in Asaba were allegedly destroyed during the protest.
Another video shared multiple times on X, also showed operatives of the command shooting into the air dispersing people, suspected to be protesters.
Speaking to THE WHISTLER on Monday, the state police spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe said “The protest was against the State’s Task Force”, and not the police, clarifying reports on the internet.
Further clarifying the situation, Edafe said, “They (Task Force) had a fracas with them last night, where two persons died, their corpse was discovered this morning, that was what led to the protest.”
Edafe noted that the command is investigating the reason for the clash, that occurred on Sunday night.
There have been rising cases of insecurity in Delta State, with records of security operatives being killed in recent times.
On Thursday, last week, armed men killed a total of 16 officers of the Nigerian Army including a commanding officer in the Bomadi Local Government of the state.
The officers on a peace mission to communities experiencing communal clashes were surrounded and killed by the men.
Earlier in March, the bodies of at least six police officers were recovered by a combined team of security agents and the local vigilantes in Ughelli North LGA of the state.