…As police assault journalist monitoring dusk to dawn curfew

Perez Brisibe – Ughelli

Despite the lockdown order by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, commercial drivers and commuters have continued to ply the Ughelli-Warri route along the East-West road in grouse violation of the order by the governor.

Investigations by Vanguard revealed that passengers now pay as much as N1, 000 depending on the bargaining power of the passenger as against N200 before the lockdown reflecting a 500 percent increase in the fare.

The drivers, particularly position themselves at the busy Otovwodo junction, Ekuigbo junction in Ughelli metropolis.

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However, a trip by this correspondent from Ughelli to Warri yesterday, revealed that the same is the case at the PTI junction and Effurun roundabout in Uvwie local government area of the state as commuters were able to embark on inter-state journeys despite the lockdown.

The trip from Ughelli to Warri further revealed that despite the presence of security operatives who mount roadblocks along the road to monitor the compliance level of the lockdown, these commercial drivers were able make it through after parting with cash for the operatives.

Meanwhile, a journalist with Urhobo Voice newspaper, Choice Grandball, was Saturday night assaulted by a team of policemen from the Ughelli Police Area Command while monitoring the dusk to dawn curfew imposed by the governor alongside the lockdown.

The assault on the journalist will be the second incident in a space of four days in what the state chairman, Mike Ikeogwu described as “barbaric in an era where democratic tenets and freedom of the press are expected to be held in high esteem.”

Vanguard News Nigeria.