NURTW crisis: 2 policemen injured, 44 suspects arrested

Two policemen have been injured following the mayhem that trailed change of leadership by the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Uwvie Chapter in Delta State,
The State Police Public Relations Officer DSP Tina Kalu in statement made available to The Nation on Saturday said the violence which characterised the emergence of Ariyor Francis as Chairman informed the deployment of policemen to the area.
Kalu said a police team was mobilized to the scene but was attacked by protesters at Jakpa junction leading to the shooting of an Assistant Superintendent of police (ASP) in the buttocks.
Part of the statement reads, ‘ On 29/7/2015 at about 0700hr, the Area Commander, Warri received information that following the change of leadership by the National Union of Road Transport workers Union (NURTW) Uvwie chapter, leading to the emergence of one Ariyor Francis ‘m’ as chairman, pockets of violent protests erupted in the area.
” Based on the report, patrol teams were quickly mobilized to the scene, and at Jakpa junction, the protesters shot at the policemen, as a result of which an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) was hit on his buttocks by a bullet from one of the protesters. The victim was rushed to central Hospital Warri for treatment. ” Later, the police re-enforced and trailed the protesters to Agofure Motor Park on NPA –DSC express way Warri where the said protesters had gathered to cause more crisis and destruction and arrested forty-four (44) male suspects. Some of the protesters also on the same date at about 1140hrs attacked policemen on duty at Dofect motor park Effurun, shooting sporadically into the air and in the process, a police sergeant was hit by stray bullet on his right elbow. The injured policeman was rushed to Nigeria Navy Hospital Effurun for treatment.”
Kalu said the team following reinforcement trailed the protesters to Agofure Motors along NPA-DSC expressway where they had gathered to cause more crisis.
The police image maker said some of the protesters on the same date attacked another policeman in Effurun on guard duty at Dofecgt Motors sustaining gunshot injuries in his right elbow.
Kalu said normalcy has been restored.
The police, she said, arrested forty four protesters were arrested in connection with the violence.
Kalu said the injured policemen have been rushed to Warri Central Hospital and Nigeria Navy Hospital respectively.
She warned members of the public to respect the laws of the land and refrain from taking laws into their hands

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