Mercy Johnson
Mother of 27-year-old Onyekachi Ugiri, who was allegedly killed by the police during the protest against the planned impeachment of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara in Port Harcourt earlier this week, has called for the release of her late son’s body.
In solidarity with the state governor, Protesters had occupied the major streets of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of the state and the entrance to the Government House Port Harcourt in response to a purported impeachment plot against Fubara.
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It was gathered that the police personnel had shot the protesters inside the Old Government Reserved Area (Old-GRA) when some youths attacked the home of the Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaechwule, and arrested about 122 of them including the State Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ambassador Chijioke Ihunwo.
It was also gathered that the police shot four people before taking the other youths who were later arraigned in court but granted bail.
Mrs Callister Ugiri, mother to the late young man, who resides in the Borokiri area of Port Harcourt claimed that she was told by her son’s friend who also participated in the protest that he had been killed by policemen.
According to Mrs Ugiri, her son left home on Tuesday, for the protest but didn’t return home until rumours of his death came on Wednesday, that he was shot in the head.
Ugiri said: “On Tuesday, I heard that Chiwendu, one of our neighbours came to the house to carry my son, Onyekachi, to go for protest in support of Governor Sim Fubara.”
“At night after I waited and did not see my son, I asked my daughter the whereabout of her brother and she told me that our neighbour, Chiwendu took her brother for protest in support of the Governor.”
“On Wednesday, Chiwendu came back again and told my daughter that during the protest, as police were shooting, a bullet caught Onyekachi, my son on the head and ran into one building where he died. Chiwendu ran away while others were arrested.”
She further claimed that a video circulating online revealed the body of her son covered with blood.
“This morning (Friday 3 November 2023) I saw a video of my son’s dead body with blood all over him.”
The Bereaved Mother further pleaded with the Police to provide the corpse of her son and also requested that Governor Fubara come to her aid.
“I am begging the Police to provide the corpse of my son wherever it is, I’m also calling on the Governor to come to my aid,” she pleaded.
However, at the time of press, the Rivers State Police Command could not confirm the report.
