Protest by Julius Berger Staff: Higher King gives account of Samuel Ajayi’s murder, demands urgent medical care for others

The killing of a staff of Julius Berger, Samuel Ajayi, at Bodo Community in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, by yet to be identified policemen attached to the construction firm has attracted condemnation from a Human Rights Advocate, O.C Higher King.

Higher King in a chat with Africa Update, wondered why Ajayi and other workers who had embarked on a peaceful protest on September 20, to bring to public notice the poor welfare package offered by the construction firm, would have been attacked by trigger happy policemen, who were doing the biddings of their paymasters.

He disclosed that the protesters who were unarmed were reportedly ambushed and shot at by policemen, leading to the death of Samuel Ajayi and the fatal injury of George Ezema, Francis Adigolo, Friday Attah and one other unidentified man.

He expressed dismay that Julius Berger could be inconsiderate to the welfare and yearnings of those, whose wellbeing their priority ought to be.

He recalled that Julius Berger had in 2016 blocked the middle of the river where the Bonny Bodo road is being constructed, destroying aquatic life and cash crops. This action, he narrated caused severe hardship to the extent that there were protests and petitions against the construction firm.

He said the Commissioner of Police had intervened and asked Julius Berger to pay compensation to the villagers, but Julius Berger had disregarded that agreement and those villagers are yet to receive their compensation.

Higher King stressed the need for the Federal Government to call Julius Berger to order and ensure that they have better welfare packages for staff and better community relations.

He wondered why Julius Berger would abandon workers who embarked on a peaceful protest to demand for better welfare, at the hospital to struggle for their lives, when these workers were originally working at the second Niger bridge and only came to Rivers State on secondment.

He called on the Federal Government on whose behest Julius Berger is working on the Bonny Bodo road to have the political will to sanction them for their wrongdoings.