The Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) has condemned in the strongest terms the violent crackdown on peaceful protesters by men of the Nigerian Army in Abraka, Delta State, describing it as a gross abuse of power and a shameful assault on democracy.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, jointly signed by its Chairman, Emmanuel Enebeli Mnipr, and Secretary, Shedrack Onitsha Mnipr, the Forum expressed outrage over the deployment of brute force against students, residents, and indigenes who had taken to the streets to demand urgent action on the rising wave of insecurity and rampant kidnappings that have gripped the university town.
The protesters, including prominent student leaders such as the Students’ Union Government President, Comrade Onos Austin, the Vice President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Tennyo and the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Student Affairs, Comrade Okoh Ezekiel were reportedly met with gunfire by military personnel. The presence of such figures underscored the severity of the security crisis and the unified demand for immediate intervention.
“It is deeply troubling that the same military force which both the state and federal governments have failed to deploy against armed criminals was instead turned on peaceful, unarmed civilians. This reflects a dangerous pattern of suppressing dissent and silencing cries for help with violence, instead of empathy and action” the statement read.
The Forum pointed to videos circulating online showing men in military uniforms firing at protesters as undeniable evidence of excessive force. It warned that such anti-democratic actions have no place in a constitutional democracy where freedom of expression and peaceful protest are enshrined rights.
DOPF also expressed dismay at what it described as a contradiction between the promises made by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori in his recent “State of the State” address and the government’s actions in Abraka. “The governor assured Deltans of his administration’s commitment to security, but the use of gunfire to suppress calls for safety casts serious doubts on that commitment,” the statement said.
Recalling the painful consequences of state-sanctioned force in previous incidents, particularly the tragic Okuama massacre, the Forum called on military authorities and the Delta State Government to tread with caution and uphold human rights in all future engagements with civilians.
The Forum urged the government to shift from suppression to solution, focusing on addressing the root causes of insecurity, including kidnapping, armed robbery, and ritual killings, through community engagement, intelligence-driven policing, and improved governance. “The path forward must be one of dialogue, justice, and protection—not intimidation,” the statement concluded.
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