The sacked workers, who reportedly were armed, also vented their anger on the residence of a local chief, taking some workers, including Indian officials of the firm, hostage.
The names of the sacked workers were not immediately available.
According to eyewitnesses, the aggrieved workers, who claimed they were unjustly laid off, had blocked the roads leading into and out of the firm.
âThey were also damaging company vehicles in anger, holding workers hostage, which included some Indian nationals. They burnt down the house of their chief.â
When the Divisional Police Officer of Akamkpa Division saw that the situation had gotten out of hand, he contacted the State Commissioner of Police, CP Rashid Afegbua.
According to a statement from the PPRO, Irene Ugbo, Afegbua dispatched Tactical Teams to the scene.
âAs they arrived, the hostile youths hurled stones at the police patrol vehicles, causing damage.
âThey fired locally made pistol pellets at them, which caused some of the police personnel to sustain minor injuries.
âThe police responded by engaging the youths, arresting some suspects, and recovering one long automatic locally made rifle, one locally made pistol, one machete, and a number of expended cartridges.â
Afegbua cautioned the youths to desist from attempting to engage the police whenever they are performing their lawful duties, to avoid possible casualties.
He also advised community heads to always caution their youths about the consequences of such actions, as investigation is in progress.
