It was gathered that the deceased, who hailed from Omuipo clan in the Egbeda community and other youth, were protesting on Friday afternoon against the deployment of a particular Community Liason Officer to a construction company handling the Egbeda-Elele Road Construction.
A source in the community, who pleaded anonymity, said that the youths were reportedly warned by the local vigilante codenamed OSPAC not to embark on the protest. Still, the youths called their bluff and commenced the protest.
He said while the protest was going on, some of the OSPAC members intercepted them at Egbeda roundabout and urged them to stop, but the youths refused on the ground that they had the right to express their opinion peacefully.
He stated that the protesters even carried a casket to the company premises but left after some money was given to them. But instead of stopping the protests, they started marching around Egbeda community singing war songs that warranted the OSPAC to confront them.
In the process, the OSPAC Commander got angry and opened fire on the protesters and that was how Oregi was hit by a bullet resulting in his death. Oregi is a young man from Omuipo community. Some of the other protesters received injuries from the gunshots.
The source further said that irked by the death of the young man, the youths immediately mobilised and headed straight to the residence of the vigilante commander identified as Muffi and set it ablaze. He added that they went to the OSPAC Commander’s house and burnt it.
The spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the death and the arrest, saying investigation was ongoing.
Iringe-Koko noted that the matter has been transferred to the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department.