Victim of Rivers political violence, Ferry Gberegbe, dies seven days after gunshot

Dr. Ferry Gberegbe, who was shot at the collation centre in Bori, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State during the governorship and state assembly elections has died.

Gberegbe, a senior lecturer at the Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnics, Bori, reports say, died Saturday, a week after the gunshot, at a hospital where he was receiving treatment.

It was alleged that some security men had clashed with some youths in Bori, who had openly confronted them (security) at the collation center.

However, Ogoni Youth Development Initiative, OYDI, Rivers South-East Youth Initiative, RSEYI, has condemned the murder of four Ogoni youths and shooting of Gberegbe during the Saturday’s governorship and state assembly elections in Rivers State.

The groups also flayed the open confrontation of security operatives who were on election duty in the area by some youths in Ogoni, describing it as barbaric.

Speaking yesterday in Port Harcourt, President of OYDI, Comr. Imeabe Oscar, disclosed that four youths were killed on the day of the election in Luwawi, Bowe and Luwa, in Khana Local Government Area, on the morning of the election on Saturday.

Oscar, while blaming the youths of Ogoni for the confrontation condemned the act of challenging security, noting that the development led to shooting of Dr. Ferry Gberegbe.

He said: “We express dismay over the unfortunate event of last Saturday’s governorship election in Bori, Khana LGA, particularly, the unfortunate incident which resulted in open confrontation between some youths in the area and security personnel on lawful duty.

“We blame the incident on the penchant of some youths in the area to openly confront security personnel during the elections.

“Such attitude on the part of some youths is wrong as it serves as a disincentive to the desired peace in the area. It also paints Ogoni in bad light, portraying our youths as violent.” (VANGUARD)