File: protesters in Port Harcourt

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Combined teams of Soldiers and Policemen were this  morning, deployed to various strategic points  in the oil city of Port Harcourt to restore peace, as  protests over yesterday’s  killing of a Bus Driver by a soldier continued.

Business owners hastily shut their shops to forestall looting of their wares by miscreants,while commuters were compelled to trek long distances to their places of work and businesses.

At the time of the report,both private and commercial vehicles have deserted Ikwerre Road to avoid being trapped or having their vehicles damaged.

The police have made some arrests.

The protesters ,  a combination of commercial bus drivers and touts erected barricades by Rumuokota Junction along the busy Ikwerre road  smashing windscreens of vehicles plying Rumuokoro- Rumuokota-and-Mile Three Axis .

The news of the alleged killing of the  bus driver who was said have driven against traffic by a soldier at about 2pm on Sunday around the Rumuokoro roundabout immediately spread and spilled over to this Monday morning.

It was learnt that the victim  refused to stop, when military officers at the Rumuokoro axis of Bori Camp tried to stop him.

An infuriated soldier opened fire at the Driver and killed him at a pointblank range.

Iche Chukwu,Chairman of Association of Commercial Bus Drivers in Obio-Akpor local Government area said  the body of the victim  has been deposited at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, UPTH, morgue.

He appealed to Commercial Bus Drivers to remain calm as human rights crusaders would be involved to fight for the rights of the victim.

The shot driver was identified as Michael Nweye. He was   said to be in his early 20s. He hailed  from Egbeda community in Emohua Local Government area of Rivers State.