By Oyosongo Udoyo
An operative from the Special Mining Marshal unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), was on Monday shot death at Umunwantu village in Umuechem community, Etche Local Government area of Rivers State, after an accidental discharge from his gun killed one person simply identified as Bright.
It was gathered that the deceased NSCDC personnel was deployed from the Special Miner Marshal unit of the corps from the national headquarters of the corps to the area.
He was said to have accompanied the government officials who had gone to enforce ban on sand dredging in the area.
The situation however caused clash between sand tipper drivers and local government officials, when the NSCDC personnel’s gun accidentally discharged and killed one person at the sand dump.
Residents told newsmen that the NSCDC personnel was allegedly shot dead by hoodlums in the sand dump after an accidental discharge from his own rifle that killed one Bright, an Ogoni boy during a clash between Government officials and the Tipper drivers.
A senior officer from the Rivers State Command of the NSCDC, confirmed the incident, but declined to be quoted because the slain officer was deployed by the national headquarters.
He said: “Please I am speaking strictly on the condition of anonymity, because I’m not authorize to speak on it, yes that incident occured, it involved a special mining marshal, tactical team deployed by the national headquarters.”
The Ecthe local government authority who confirmed the incident, have suspended all operations in the of tipper drivers and their parks in the area
‎The Chairman of Etche Local Government Area, Chief Chima Njoku, in a statement by Chief Press Secretary, Dagogo Isaac, on Tuesday, directed that all operations of Tipper Drivers and their parks within the Local Government Area are hereby suspended with immediate effect until further notice.
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‎He said the directive follows the unfortunate death of an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who was on surveillance duty with the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development in Port Harcourt.
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He said: “‎Consequently, all officials of the Tipper Drivers/Parks Unions operating in Etche Local Government Area are directed to report immediately to the Okehi Police Division to explain their roles, if any, in the incident. They are also expected to clarify the circumstances that led to the blockage of the Chokocho–Igwuruta Federal Highway.
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“‎Failure to comply with this directive will attract the full wrath of the law.”
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‎It would be recalled that the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, had earlier placed a ban on sand dregding and mining activities on Chokocho/Umuechem road, Chokocho/Igbo road, Okoroagu, Umuayagu and Egwi communities of the local government due to the negative environmental effects on the roads and the communities.
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