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From Ben Dunno, Warri
The protest by hundreds of Isoko indigenes, mostly women and youths, over an alleged exclusion from a pipeline security contract recently awarded by the federal government along the major highway was brought under control by a combined security team led by men and officers of 63 Brigade, Asaba.
Investigations carried out revealed that the protesters who came out as early as 7 am barricaded the major Ozoro-Kwale-Asaba expressway to stop the free flow of traffic along that axis in order to register their grievances on what they alleged as the marginalisation of Isoko land in the surveillance contact.
It was gathered that the protesters who carried green leaves as a mark of solidarity also displayed placards with different inscriptions demanding justice from the federal government on the surveillance contracts while they blocked the roads with tyres, drums and planks to prevent vehicular movement.
It was further learnt that one of their major grievances was why Ex-militant warlord, High Chief Government Ekpemukpolo, AKA Tompolo, who had been privileged to have gotten the contract under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was being rewarded the same contract.
According to an eyewitness who pleaded anonymity; “It got to a point when the peaceful protest was getting rowdy and the protesters were beginning to get out of control as hoodlums were seen to have infiltrated their midst in order to hijack the protest and cause mayhem”.
“It was at this point at about 11;30am that the security operatives led by 63 Brigade Officer In Charge of Defence Company at Kwale, Major SO Ibitoye, led the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Ozoro and other security outfits, moved in to address the protesters and plead with them to vacate the highway”.
The appeal made by the security operatives was said to have yielded positive results as the protesters were seen removing the barricades to allow the free flow of traffic on the highway.
As of 1;45am normalcy was seen to have returned to the area as residents went about their normal daily activities unhindered.
