Ben Dunno, Warri
The extension of the lockdown announced by Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, on Tuesday evening, recorded its first casualty in Sapele as a protester was shot by a policeman during the women protest over hunger is now lying critically condition in the hospital.
The victim who was part of the protest was reportedly shot at a close range in both legs by a trigger-happy policeman despatch to restore normalcy in the area.
The policeman was said to have immediately taken to his heels, leaving his service rifle behind in a desperate move to avoid mob attack
Reacting to the incident the Delta State police commissioner, Hafiz Inuwa, said the police are on the trail of the suspect in order to intensify investigations into the matter.
Meanwhile, scores of protesting women in Sapele took to the streets as early as 7 am on Tuesday to register their grievance with the state government over the planned extension of the lockdown across the state without palliatives
Specifically, the placard and leaves- carrying women who chanted native war songs of displeasure to press home their anger, said they could no longer bear another round of torture experienced during the past two weeks of lockdown.
The women mostly mothers and traders said they were tired of being denied their freedom for another two weeks, especially with no electricity and food to eat during the period.
The protesting women mostly dressed in red apparels told newsmen that the governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa is insensitive as he extended the lockdown order without provision of food.
They said that the governor and other top politicians in the state had provided enough foodstuffs for their families and left them in hunger in the past two weeks.
Leader of the women, Mrs Rosslyn Akpamredo, told Governor Okowa should lift the extension and lock only the borders or provide money and foodstuffs to all women in the state, if not they will defy the lockdown order as they were tired of sitting idly at home without food and power.
According to her, ”instead of hunger to kill my children and I, we will prefer the Chinese Coronavirus to kill us and let Okowa come and bury us if we die.
“We cannot stay at home without food and power. Let OKowa send his soldiers to kill all of us and bury us,” she stated.
Meanwhile, Governor Okowa has appealed to Deltans that the lockdown is not intended to witch-hunt anybody, insisting that it was intended for the safety and health of all Deltans.
He, however, assured that food would be made available to targeted indigent people in the state.