The nationwide hardship protests has turned violent in Suleja, Suleja local government area of Niger State as no fewer than three youths have been shot dead by the police.
Over 15 others who were said to have sustained various degree of bullets injuries are now in critical condition and have been taken to different health facilities in the area including Gwagwalada specialist hospital for treatment.
Trouble started when the youths defied the early morning rain in the town to assemble at the Suleja old motor park for the peaceful protests when the police Area Commander led a team of anti riot police to disperse them.
The youths it was gathered resisted the police directives to vacate the area, insisting that there protests was not a violent one but a peaceful protests which is allowed by the law.
According to a source close to Suleja, It was in the process that the police released teargas in an attempt to disperse the peaceful protesters.
The action of the police, it was gathered infuriated the youths who said they had no intention of embarking on any violent protests but to do their peaceful protests within the confines of the law when the police invaded the park, asking them to vacate the area.
The youths began to throw stones, sticks and other objects at the police, leading to the vandalization of a police vehicle attached to police Area Commander office with REG NO. NPF 9102C.
The youths, not satisfied, followed the police to the Area commander office and attempted to sacked the station but were prevented by the heavily armed policemen.
It was gathered that the confrontation between the police and the youths became intense and resulted in the police using live ammunition, killing three of them at the spot.
“I can tell you that the number of those who sustained bullets injuries are more than 15, and we don’t know if they will survive it”, our source disclosed.
Meanwhile the police is yet to react to the killing of these youths but the Area commander was said to have denied the knowledge of the killing of the youths until when he was taken to the healthcare center in the town where the victims were confirmed dead.
It could be recalled that some youths in their numbers had attempted to block the ever busy Kaduna-Abuja highway on Tuesday ahead of today’s protests when they were disperse by the police.
