15 May 2017, Sweetcrude, Warri — The 3rd Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Effurun has deployed a reinforcement of its personnel to Ifiekporo in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, the host community of the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company, WRPC, and the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, where a naval officer shot two youths to death over argument regarding job slots last Friday.
It was gathered that the deployment of the army personnel, follows the palpable tension in the community, especially amongt youths, who are spoiling for a showdown with the naval personnel deployed in the area over the death of the youths.
It was also gathered that the community was particularly angered by the attempt of the Naval authorities to present a different version of the event leading to the shooting, claiming that the deceased youths attempted to snatch a rifle from a naval rating.
“The youths of Ifiekporo and their elders are angry with the navy when they heard that their officers are claiming that the youths were shot when they attempted to snatch the rating’s AK 47 rifle. This incident occurred in the presence of other sister security agencies as well as workers of the oil company.
“It was sheer overzealousness on the part of the naval rating. There was no attempt to disarm the officer. If there should be any of such, must those youths be shot to death? Can’t they be shot in the leg or arm to dislodge them? They don’t have any defense at all,” a security personnel noted.