22Yr Old Boy Hospitalized After He Was Allegedly Shot, Injured By Soldiers

A twenty two year old boy, Precious Udoku, has been hospitalized after he was allegedly shot and injured by soldiers at Ekpan Community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

The victim who has been receiving medical treatment at the Central Hospital in Warri has now been referred to the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, for further medical treatments.

There are fears that the victim may die if proper medical treatments is not administered on him.

This is coming as his mother who has no dime is planning to abandon him with his father at Ughelli Community.

It was learnt that the soldiers shot the victim at the leg while chasing some opposition Community members of Okere-Urhobo Community (Okumagba axis) from their homes.

It was gathered that there was communal crisis with regards to youth chairmanship position in the Community and a Politician (name withheld) imposed one Eyikpimi on the people but the elders who were opposed to the moves by the politician kicked against the moves.

The said politician and some other persons in the Community went behind the door to hold an election without the consent of the heads of family and elders in Okere-Urhobo Kingdom.

However, the politician’s candidate emerged and was sworn-in as the youth chairman.

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He was given soldiers by the politician as he went about chasing every person he perceived as opposition to his emergence.

The soldiers chased people to Ekpen Community where they shot the victim who was a passerby at the time.

The victim in his hospital bed said he went to meet with his friends in the area to borrow him money as transportation fare to enable him travel.

“As people were running, soldiers got to where was standing and shot his leg, I was carrying my travelling bag.”

The Coordinator of the Warri Civil Rights Council, Amb. (Comrade) Lucky Idiri who corroborated the claims of the victim said, “He was carrying any weapon or any arm. He is not from Okere-Urhobo. He does not reside there.”

Amb. Idiri condemned the dastardly act by the soldiers saying, “Soldiers don’t have right to shoot at harmless citizen. If we allow such brutalityto take place, they will kill people anyhow. That’s why we are here to defend the vulnerable.”

Amb. Idiri who also confirmed that the Central Hospital, Warri has referred the victim to the Delta State University Teaching Hospital for better medical treatments said the mother is planning to abandon the boy with his father at Ughelli.

According to him, “So doing, the boy might die if care is not taken. We are calling on the international community to come to the aid of this young and help save his life. We are also calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai to fish out and prosecute the soldiers involved in this dastardly act in the interest of justice.”