Protesting pensioners allegedly flogged in Imo state
Protesting pensioners in Imo State have been reportedly flogged by a group of hoodlums at the state government house.
The pensioners protested on Tuesday, August 4 over non-payment of five months pension and gratuities.
Daily Times gathered that the protest is the fifth time in a month the senior citizens were protesting their nonpayment of pensions and gratuities.
The pensioners were flogged by thugs who carried canes to scare them so that they could stop approaching the Government House’s main gate.
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The senior citizens who were resolute in their demands defied the situation which led the flogging by the thugs.
The assistant commissioner of police, AJ Moses later arrived at the scene to appeal to the pensioners to work with the appropriate organs of the government but the pensioners in return told the ACP that they had exhausted all avenues of reconciliation with the government.
Speaking to one of the pensioners, Ebenezer Ibekwe, alleged that the thugs were sent by the government.
Ibekwe said, “Thugs were flogging us their, fathers and mother. I pity them because they have dug their graves. At Warehouse junction, why we were coming, they accosted us and were pouring water on us. This has never happened in this state before.
“The monies we worked for and the government is sending urchins, idiots and never do wells to assault people who are old enough to be their fathers, mothers, and grandparents.”
The Senior Special Assistant to the governor on print media, Modestus Nwamkpa, who spoke to the Punch, said that thugs did not flog the pensioners.
He, however, said that the state government was frowning at illegal protests in the state..
