BCO, which was in the state to ascertain the safety of the Arewa living in the state and to appeal for calm, described the action of the protesters as the “handiwork of Satan and joblessness.”
The delegation earlier visited the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Musa Kimo, and held a closed-door meeting with him before visiting the victims.
The group, which was led by its Coordinator, Alhaji Ali Idris Barde, also visited the Hausa community in Gambia Street, Mile 2, Diobu, Port Harcourt, and met with some persons, who were allegedly injured during the protests.
One of the victims, Alhaji Musa Lalu, narrated how some of the protesters destroyed their wares and attempted to set a part of the street ablaze.
According to him, it was in the process of trying to put out the fire that he was hit on the face by a stone.
He said: “I just rushed to carry the fire extinguisher in my shop, to put out the fire; one of them threw a stone and it hit me on the face and blood gushed out.
He expressed worry at the attack, saying he had been living in Rivers State since 1972, adding that it was his first time of experiencing such ethnic-based protest.
Addressing newsmen later, Alhaji Barde said the protest disrupted social and economic activities in the city of Port Harcourt and appealed to the security agents to forestall further attacks on members of the Hausa community living in the state.
He said: “We believe in one Nigeria, bound in freedom; thus, we appeal to our people to maintain peace, good neighbourliness and harmony. We appeal to leaders of various communities in the South-south, South-east, clerics and youth leaders to call their followers to order.”
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