The Civil Rights Council, Delta State unit, has called on the Commissioner of Police, Delta State, and the Inspector General of Police to launch an investigation into the actions of some police officers in the Delta State command that led to human rights abuses and the violation of the rights of peaceful citizens of Delta State who were engaged in a peaceful gathering.

The call became necessary as the peaceful atmosphere of Oteri community in Delta State, Nigeria was disrupted on March 9th, 2024, when members of the Nigeria Police Force from the Ughelli Area Command descended upon its resident’s firing shots. The incident unfolded amidst a peaceful protest, predominantly led by women from the community, who were expressing their grievances regarding alleged misconduct by the local police command.

According to sources from the Civil Rights Council, the women were protesting what they tagged as repeated instances of misconduct by police officers, which have unfortunately become increasingly common. Their complaint is not alien as there has been records of physical abuse and even fatal misfiring by police officers over the years have tarnished the reputation of the Police Force and exacerbated tensions between citizens and law enforcement.