Chairman of Gokana local government area in Rivers State, Confidence Deko has confirmed the attack on some workers of Julius Berger PLC, company handling the Bodo-Bonny Road in the area.
One person was shot dead while three others were injured during the brutal crackdown on the protesting workers by the police in Gokana local government area.
The protesting workers were at the council secretariat to register their complaints when some security agents opened fire on them in order to disperse them.
Report has it that some of the injured workers were rushed to Teerabor General Hospital in the area for treatment.
Confirming the incident, Deko said he was in a meeting with the state government in Port Harcourt when he was called that security agencies attached to the construction giant has shot and killed one of the protesters.
He said, “I was in Port Harcourt attending a stakeholders meeting when they called me that some workers that just held a meeting with my council secretary was shot by the same security that escorted them to the council.”
He called on the government and police to thoroughly investigate the matter.
On their parts, some prominent indigenes of Ogoni, Prince Biira and Young Nkpah called for the immediate investigation of the incident.
Biira said, “Worker’s protest is an acceptable way of expressing displeasure all over the world and no security agent is authorized to shoot peaceful protesters.
“The unauthorized use of firearms by security agents on innocent citizens is part of the rising insecurity in our country because such act does provoke the youths to take laws into their hands.
“We are calling on relevant authorities to immediately investigate the shooting on the protesting workers and bring the perpetrators to book.”
Nkpah frowned at the shooting of the protesting workers and called on authorities to hold one Sam Ngbor responsible over the incident.
He therefore urged the protesting workers to be law abiding and channel their grievances legally.
