By Ephraim Emmanuel
Aggrieved family members, friends, and sympathizers of 22-year-old Anthony Obodo have staged a protest along the busy Agip Junction on Ada-George Road in Port Harcourt, demanding immediate justice over his fatal shooting by a police officer.
The peaceful demonstration brought traffic in the area to a standstill as angry youths displayed placards bearing inscriptions such as “Police are no longer protectors, they took Anthony’s life,” “Give us justice or give us nothing,” and “Anthony was shot dead by police, we need justice.”
Speaking to journalists during the rally, group leader Charles Chukwu declared that the victim’s family and community would not remain silent while those responsible for the tragic incident walk free.
Chukwu urged the Rivers State Government, the State Commissioner of Police, and the Chief Judge of Rivers State to intervene immediately to ensure a transparent legal process.
The demonstrators also challenged the Rivers State Police Command to publicly parade the officer who fired the fatal shot at the unarmed civilian to prove the force is not protecting or shielding him from prosecution.
The protest follows the killing of Obodo, a University of Port Harcourt graduate who was awaiting his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) call-up when he was shot during an encounter with a police patrol team.
