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Commercial activities were, on Thursday grounded in Sapele, Delta State as members of the Sapele-Okpe Community occupied major roads to protest the arrest of the community youth chairman, Ekariko Obomine last night over an alleged land dispute.
Obomine was reportedly whisked away by suspected security men at the venue of a novelty football match organised to mark Sapele-Okpe Community Youth Day on October 1.
Prior to the match, there has been built-up tension following the announcement by Itsekiri youth residents in Sapele to also mark their day on the same date.
The protesters accused a prominent Abigborodo chief of being the mastermind of the arrest of the youth chairman over a land dispute.
They called on the Delta State government to prevail on the said Chief to stop the alleged constant harassment of Sapele-Okpe youths and also free the youth chairman.
The protesting youths also accused the chief of allegedly orchestrating the arrest of two Okpe youths last year, before now arresting the youth chairman.
“Now he has arrested our youth President, we will not accept this, he should be prepared to arrest all Okpe youths,” the youths vowed.
Meanwhile, the timely intervention of operatives of the Nigeria Police Force led by the Sapele Divisional Police Officer, CSP Harrison Nwabuisi, doused the tension, as the protest was about to assume a violent dimension.
The youthful protesters trekked to the street as early as 6:00 a.m armed with posters and chanting freedom songs, blocking major roads including popular Olympia and burning tires.
They succeed in disrupting commercial activities as stalled free traffic flow along major roads for several hours.
Addressing the protester, the Chairman of the Sapele-Okpe Community, Chief Temiagin Ayomanor urged the youths to remain calm in the face of provocation.
He noted that Okpe leaders were already on top of the matter and soon the arrested youth chairman would be released.
Chief Ayomanor, who addressed newsmen at the town hall, said Obomine was not arrested but kidnapped last night by security men.
He alleged that the security men laid siege on the venue of the football match before whisking him away at about on Wednesday.
He also called on the state government and the security agencies to stop forth with the proposed celebration of Sapele-Itsekiri Youths Day on October 1st to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
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