The Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) has issued a strong condemnation of the violent crackdown on peaceful protesters in Abraka by members of the Nigerian Army.
The protest, organized by students, residents, and concerned indigenes, was aimed at drawing attention to the growing insecurity and daily kidnappings that have plagued the university town and its environs.
In a statement jointly signed by DOPF Chairman, Emmanuel Enebeli, and Secretary, Shedrack Onitsha, the forum described the government’s response as not only disproportionate but dangerously authoritarian.
According to the forum, instead of listening to the people’s cries for safety and protection, the Delta State Government chose to deploy armed military personnel who used force to disperse the demonstrators.
“Videos circulating online show military officers opening fire on unarmed civilians,” the statement noted. DOPF expressed outrage that while kidnappers and armed criminals roam freely, the state was quick to mobilize security forces—not to protect lives, but to suppress peaceful calls for justice. “It is deeply troubling that the same military force which the state and federal governments have failed to deploy against criminal elements was swiftly used to silence peaceful protesters,” the statement read.
The forum called the military response a “gross abuse of power” and labeled it as “anti-democratic.” It further criticized the intimidation of protesters as a violation of constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
Referencing Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s recent “State of the State” address, where he promised to secure the lives and property of Deltans, DOPF said the events in Abraka reveal a stark disconnect between government assurances and the lived reality of citizens. “This promise rings hollow when peaceful protesters are met with bullets instead of dialogue,” the forum said.
The group also drew parallels to the deadly military operation in Okuama, warning that excessive force against civilians has already brought tragedy to Delta State and should never be repeated.
In closing, the Delta Online Publishers Forum urged both state and federal authorities to show greater restraint and prioritize humane, sustainable solutions to the growing wave of kidnappings, armed robberies, and ritual killings across Delta State.
“The path forward must be one of dialogue, justice, and genuine concern for the safety and rights of the people—not suppression and abuse,” the statement noted.
