Video of youths beating up soldiers for killing man who flouted lock-down order is fake —Delta govt

The Delta State Government has waved aside a video of angry youths who attacked two soldiers in the state after soldiers allegedly killed a father of two for disobeying the lockdown of the state ordered by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Mr. Charles Aniagwu, the State Commissioner for Information, in a statement on Friday in the state capital of Asaba said that the video of residents defying the stay-at-home order over the coronavirus pandemic and confronting security operatives was concocted and therefore is fake.

According to Mr. Aniagwu who urged the public, particularly Deltans, to discountenance the video, the clips were not a true representation of happenings in Warri or any part of Delta in the last 48 hours.

The commissioner also claimed that the videos in circulation on social media are figments of the imagination of a few disgruntled elements bent at pitching the people against the state government.

He said; “Let me thank Deltans for their cooperation so far and urge them to discard the concocted videos aimed at causing disaffection between the military and Deltans.

READ ALSO: COVID-19 LOCKDOWN: Attack on taskforce barbaric —Lagos Govt

“There is no report of killing of soldiers in Warri or any other part of Delta”. “The concocted videos were aimed at causing disaffection between Deltans and the security agencies carrying out lawful duties.

“While we appeal to our people to remain law-abiding, it is imperative to state that videos trending in social media are not a true reflection of happenings in the state.

“We, therefore, call on our people to discard the videos and continue to remain indoors as directed by the government to enable us to curb the possible outbreak and spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.

“As a government, we will continue to appeal to the security agencies to apply rules of engagement as practiced in most democracies as they carry out their lawful duties,” he added.

Reports say the incident which witnessed residents clashing with security operatives took place in the Ugbuwangue, area of the state after Joseph Pessu, a father-of-two, was shot dead by a soldier at Ada Val Arenyenka street, along the Ugbuwangue axis of the NPA Expressway, Warri.

The killing of Pesu, who was reported to have ignored efforts by soldiers to flag him down while riding his power bike, took place at about 9:40am.

It would be recalled that a team of the state taskforce enforcing the lockdown was also attacked in Warri on Wednesday, with some of the officials beaten by youths in the city.

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