Stray bullet hits 1 person as APC, PDP supporters clash in Rivers

Bayo Wahab 13:22 - 03 April 2023

Stray bullet hits 1 person as APC, PDP supporters clash in Rivers. (Punch)

The violence started when the protesting PDP supporters sighted the governorship candidate, <strong>Tonye Cole</strong> and his supporters while proceeding to the INEC office.

Over two weeks after the governorship and house of assembly elections in Rivers state, supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continue to engage in post-election violence.

On Monday, April 3, 2023, violence erupted in the state as supporters of the two parties clashed in the state.

According to ThePunch, one person sustained a gunshot injury after being hit by a stray bullet.

Earlier, the PDP members in the state had staged a protest in front of the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) demanding a joint inspection of election materials by all political parties.

The APC led by its governorship candidate, Tonye Cole had also vowed to storm the INEC office to demand the release of Certified True Copies of documents used for the governorship election.

However, as the governorship candidate and his supporters were proceeding to the INEC office on Monday, PDP supporters reportedly raced towards them.

As the protesters reportedly pelted stones and water sachets at him, the security operatives attached to him shielded him and whisked him into the vehicle. But the protesters continued to pelt sachet water in his direction.

According to ThePunch, one of the security men attached to Cole fired the shot which hit one of the protesters who was advancing towards him.

The victim who sustained a gunshot injury on his leg bled profusely before friends took him to the hospital.

The protesters are said to have been dispersed by soldiers of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, operatives of the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps who arrived and shot into the air.