Breaking: “We Cannot Police the People with Bullets” — Prince Agbedeyi O. D. Condemns Security Crackdown on Peaceful Abraka Protesters
Published: June 3, 2025
Location: Italy, Delta State, Nigeria
By: Seigha Dora Ayedi | Editor-in-Chief: Prince Agbedeyi O. D.
Egbema Egberi Media International (EEMI)
In the wake of the recent mass protest by students and residents of Abraka over rising insecurity and rampant kidnappings in the area, prominent academic and peace advocate, Prince Agbedeyi Odimientimi Desmond, has issued a sharp condemnation of the excessive force allegedly deployed by security agencies during the peaceful demonstration.
Prince Agbedeyi, who serves as a Principal Lecturer at Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi Uku, and the Executive Editor of Egbema Egberi Media International, decried the handling of the protest as “reckless, undemocratic, and deeply troubling.”
“You cannot police a grieving, terrified people with bullets and batons,” he said in a statement to EEMI. “These are not criminals. These are students, farmers, market women—citizens crying for protection in their own ancestral land.”
🔴 A Peaceful Cry for Help Turns Bloody
The protest, which began last week, was sparked by the abduction of a Delta State University (DELSU) student, Clinton Udomudo, and his brother, who was kidnapped while delivering ransom for Clinton’s release. Though both were later freed, the incident added to a long list of unresolved kidnapping cases plaguing the university town.
Eyewitness reports allege that on Monday, June 2, security agents including soldiers and police officers opened fire on unarmed demonstrators, leaving at least one protester with serious facial injuries. Video footage and photos circulating online show the crowd scattering in panic as gunshots rang out near the university gate.
“This is a civil protest, not an insurgency,” Prince Agbedeyi stressed. “When the state responds to a peaceful plea for justice with assault rifles, it sends a message that our lives don’t matter.”
🛑 Prince Agbedeyi Calls for Accountability and Reform
Prince Agbedeyi, a respected voice in Niger Delta peace and development matters, emphasized that true national security begins with listening to the people, not silencing them.
“The students of DELSU have every right to demand safety. Their parents sent them there to learn, not to become kidnap victims or collateral damage,” he said.
He further called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the Delta State House of Assembly to:
- Launch a transparent investigation into the use of force during the protest.
- Deploy a Special Security Task Force to flush out kidnappers and restore calm in Abraka.
- Retrain security personnel on handling civil unrest within constitutional and humanitarian limits.
- Ensure the protection of press freedom, following reports of threats to journalists covering the protest.
✊ Standing with the Youth
Known for his advocacy for education, justice, and human rights, Prince Agbedeyi praised the youth for their courage and unity.
“History will remember this generation not for their silence, but for their voices. They rose in peace, and they deserve a peaceful response,” he said.
He also urged students and community leaders to remain calm, organized, and focused, while not allowing provocation to derail their cause.
📢 Egbema Egberi Media International Stands in Solidarity
As an organization committed to truth, accountability, and regional development, Egbema Egberi Media International joins Prince Agbedeyi in condemning the excessive use of force and calls on both state and federal governments to prioritize human lives above all else.
The people of Abraka—and indeed all communities in Delta State—deserve more than promises. They deserve action, protection, and justice.
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