SCORES were injured Tuesday in Uyo as police tear-gassed protesting youths demanding five per cent of the 13% Oil Derivation accruing to Akwa Ibom state.

The aggrieved youths under aegis of Niger Delta Advocacy Movement, NDAM, and Ibom Youth Council, IYC, were matching towards the Government House, Uyo, when pandemonium broke at the Wellington Bassey Way Roundabout as security operatives suppressed the protest.

Residents and business operators around Eka Street, Asutan Street and Udoh Street confirmed being stunned by rapid gunshots and people scampering into living homes, offices and shops to take cover and evade the joint security force against the protest.

A source told Vanguard In confidence, “The protesting youths were many and the whole thing almost led to a stampede. They were at the Wellington Bassey Way Roundabout leading to the Government House when the police stopped them from proceeding.”

Vanguard observed that the protesters numbering over 500 in two clusters, one cladded in white and another in black later converged at popular Plaza Roundabout by Ikot Ekpene Road where they continued the protest.

Led by the Commissioner of Police, CP, Olatoye Durosinmi, a joint security force comprising Police, soldiers, Nigeria Security Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), were consequently positioned at the Plaza Area to ensure the protest never degenerated into serious violence.

Victor Bassey James, Secretary, Niger Delta Advocacy Movement (NDAM), one of the protest groups, narrated, “In collaboration with Ibom Youth Council, we have come to take our right we have lost for 16years.

“Akwa Ibom Youths have not been employed. We have suffered a lot. Our Youths have not been empowered. That is why we’ve come out en-masse to make sure that the Governor (Umo Eno) look into our matter.

“We are asking for 5 percent out of the 13 per cent Oil derivation. And they have said they would call us for dialogue. But failure to do that, we will take another step”

Responding to the development, Police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom State Command, Odiko MacDon, said, “The truth of the matter is that they were addressed by the Commissioner of Police, the Commander 2 Brigade, and other sister agencies on the need to be peaceful.

“They were also addressed by the Stste Commissioner for Internal Security but they insisted that they have to access the Government House. That is why a commensurate force was used to disperse them. They have dispersed peacefully so no need for anybody to worry or for confrontation”

Banners flown by the protesters bore inscriptions, including, “Niger Delta Advocacy Movement Says Pastor Umo Bassey Eno, attend to Akwa Ibom youths. Don’t be silent” (Vanguard)

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