In a press statement released by the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Delta State Chapter. The CDHR condemn in strong terms the protest and wanton destruction of properties which took place in Udu area on 15th February 2023 caused by some disgruntled element who adduce their reason for the action to be the hardship going on in the land as a result of the Naira Swap for which CDHR hereby commends the Police for rising up to the occasion and brought the situation under control with arrest of some persons found to be involved.
However, CDHR Delta State equally condemn in strong terms the unlawful arrests and detention of innocent Citizens both young and old in the pretext of quelling further protests and destructions whereas, there was never another attempt to protest in Udu after the arrests of 15th February, 2023 as our officers were on ground at every hot spot to monitor the movements of persons and their behaviour to forestall any further protest and destruction of properties as happened this morning, 17th February, 2023.
This morning, I deployed my officers to different hot spots such as Express Junction, Orhuwhorun Junction Round About and Newyork/Udu Market area when Police Officers in Four Vans led by the DCO 1 of Ovwian/Aladja Police Division swooped on citizens who were going about their normal business of life with some going for burials, Parties, Markets etc and began to beat them up and throw them into their vehicles and drove them away to be locked up in their Cells and extort them with huge amounts of money in the name of bail which is supposedly free to enrich themselves at the expense of the traumatized citizens who have no money to put food on their tables each day since the exercise began. The leader of the Police Team even saw our officials on ground doing the monitoring and failed to acknowledge our efforts and began to do what they came out for this morning.
We, in CDHR, Delta State Chapter are hereby calling on the Commissioner of Police Delta State Ali Mohammed Ari to intervene by calling the DPO and his men and collaborators to order to leave the law-abiding citizens resident in Udu in peace let the burden they should have to bear now to be the unnecessary cash scarcity which have removed food from the tables of many and its attendant effects on the psyche of people in the interest of peace and Justice.
I trust in your abilities to address this issues with a view to protect the helpless citizens in Udu from the onslaught of and overzealous Police Officer such as CSP Aliyu Shaaba who is hell bend in extorting monies from citizens with both his left and right hands without regards to human dignity.
I wish to inform you that Udu is not a Local Government of Criminals as the State Police Public Relations Officer has attempted to classify it to be this morning.
I as CDHR State Chairman leaves here and I stand to correct that erroneous impression in it’s totality.
You can send men of integrity in the Police Command to come to Udu to verify the veracity of my above claim which I will stand by both day and night as the era when Udu was under siege by criminals has passed as a result of your efforts with your men with the tacit support and collabotion of CDHR in the State as you can testify to.
Long Live Nigeria!
Long Live Delta State!!
Long Live CDHR!!!
Comrade Elder (Chief) Edariese A. Peter, Chairman, CDHR,
Delta State Chapter.
