Eighteen women in Sapele, Delta State, who protested over the ongoing lockdown in the state last week Wednesday have been released.
The Delta State Police Command, led by Afiz Inuwa, dropped the charges preferred against the women who protested over the state government extension of lockdown.
The development followed the intervention of some stakeholders from Sapele including chairman of the Sapele Local Government Area, Chief Eugene Inoaghan and Reverend Father Christopher Ekabo, a member of Delta Christian Pilgrims Board.
The police command had earlier prepared the women to appear before an Asaba magistrates’ court last Monday, but the arrangemnt was suspended due to pressures from stakeholders.
The charges bordered on breach of public peace and an alleged involvement in violating the COVID-19 lockdown rule on April 15 – the commencement day of another 14 days imposed by the state government to check the spread of the pandemic.
Reverend Father Ekabo, who confirmed the release of the 18 women, said that they were perfecting their bail papers and would soon head back to Sapele.
“Eighteen persons were arrested by the Sapele DPO and were transferred to the State CID at Asaba, and they were to be arraigned in court on Monday. Though we have been reaching out to the police authorities since Thursday last week, by Monday we succeeded in persuading them not to charge them to court and they should be released.
“On Tuesday, they agreed to release them without pressing charges against them, but you know they have to process the papers for their release, so no charges preferred against them, they were cautioned. Once they perfected their bail, they would be back to Sapele,” the cleric said.
It will be recalled that Sapele women in their hundreds blocked the street on April 15 in a protest against what they described as the insensitivity of the state government by extending the coronavirus lockdown for another 14 days..
As of Wednesday, the police image-maker, Onome Onovwakpoyeya, could not be reached for confirmation of the release.
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