Navy kills 3 youths in self-defence in Warri

A naval personnel from the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS DELTA) on Friday snuffed life out of three youths in Warri, Delta State.

A group of protesting youths was said to have invaded the premises of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) at Ifiekporo in Warri South Local Government Area where a naval personnel was keeping watch.

Two of the youths reportedly attempted to snatch the AK47 rifle the naval personnel was holding.

As they struggled for the rifle, the killer-navy, while acting on self-defence, released a bullet which pierced through the abdomen of the two youths who were behind each other.

But another version of the incident said three youths were actually killed by the naval personnel.

Tribune Online gathered that among the youths was a young Itsekiri man of about 35 years old simply identified as Agbolu.

He was said to be the Community Liaison Officer (CLO) of Ifiekporo to A&E Petrol Station.

Agbolu was allegedly shot dead at about 3:00p.m today.

A witness said the protesters from Ifiekporo, including Agbolu, were said to have failed to reach a compromise with a contractor from Ekpan in Uvwie Local Government Area of the state, who was given a job to repair the failed jetty belonging to the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company (WRPC).

The contractor, according to the witness, contacted some Ekpan youths, possibly to ward off any confrontation.

It was in the course of the ensuing melee that the yet-to-be identified naval personnel shot and killed Agbolu, a father of two children.

Commander of NNS DELTA, Commodore Ibrahim Dewu was not around when Saturday Tribune called at his office on Friday, but a senior officer from the Warri Naval Base who pleaded anonymity, confirmed that only two youths were killed during the melee by the killer navy.

The officer added that from information gathered so far, the naval personnel was on self-defence as he was trying to prevent the youths from dispossessing him of his AK47 rifle.

Meanwhile, troops from the naval base and 3 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Effurun, have be deployed to maintain law and order in the area.