There was pandemonium last Monday during an election of Onne Youth Council in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State following the death of a youth leader, Victor Amasi, who was caught by a stray bullet allegedly fired by a security operative posted to monitor the election.
Community sources told our reporter that the security operatives were deployed to ensure that the election process was peaceful.
Our source said the suspension of the election allegedly by the electoral committee led to chaos and eventually a “protest to the traditional leaders” of the community.
The election was contested by David Osarobe, Tobiah Silas Tete and Samuel Owinkpe.
He said the traditional leaders, after considering the situation, “declared David Osarobe as the winner of the election” which led to wild jubilation during which a stray bullet allegedly from one of the security personnel hit Amasi who died on his way to the hospital.
The Rivers State Police Command, in the meantime has dismissed insinuations that one of its personnel shot dead Mr Victor Amasi.
The acting Public Relations Officer of the Command, DSP. Grace Koko told journalists that the youth was killed when fight broke out amongst youths of the community during the election.
DSP Koko maintained that no Police Officer was linked to the incident, and that no officer was close to the scene of the crime, where the shooting reportedly took place.
Relatively the Rivers State Government through the Commissioner of Youth Development has sued for calm.
In a letter dated 18 April,2022 signed by Ohia Prince Obi, the Commissioner of Youth Development which was sighted cited by our reporter sued for peace and invited the Chairman of Onne Youth Congress Electoral Committee, all aspirants as well as the Local Government Authority to a meeting on Tuesday.
As at press time the situation had been brought under control.
