In a statement released and signed on Thursday, 2nd April, 2020 from the office of the Social Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Deputy President of the Senate, Yomi Odunuga.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has condemned the alleged gruesome killing of Joseph Pessu by men of the Nigerian Army enforcing the stay at home order of the Delta State Government.

An Itsekiri youth, Pessu, was reportedly killed by a soldier in Warri on Thursday by a team enforcing the COVID-19 lockdown directive of the state government.

Senator Omo-Agege called for the arrest and prosecution of the culprit (s) them in accordance with the laws, to serve ad deterrent to others.

Omo-Agege, stated further that, citizens should detest from taking laws into their hand and he urged them to report cases of such to the appropriate quarters.

He stated that, even if the deceased had gone against the lockdown restriction order, he should have been apprehended and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force. He urged the youths to be calm as the situation would be taken care of.

"I condemn in strong terms the extra-judicial killing of Joseph Pessu by men of the Nigerian Army. And call on the Army authorities to fish out the culprit (s) and hand them over to the Police for prosecution.

"Those who are authorised to bear arms in defence of the nation ought to understand that this comes with responsibility especially when human life is sacrosanct. The killing in Warri today is one too many as the issue shouldn't have led to what, in my opinion, amounted to extra judicial killing of yet another future hope of this country.

"I have heard that the Army has arrested the soldier that shot the deceased, it is my belief that thorough investigations would be carried out and adequate punishment would be meted out to those involved in the heinous crime.

"Yes, we are in strange times and nerves are high with all the issues surrounding the COVID-19 lockdown in the country. Be that as it may, there are better ways of making Nigerians to obey the government's directives without the resort to violence or extra judicial killings by law enforcement agents.

"My prayers are with the family and loved ones of the deceased. I hope those who are quick at pulling the trigger would learn from this and adopt strategies that would foster mutual understanding between them and those they are tasked to protect. In their bid to save the lives of the Nigerians, it would be a depressing twist of fate for them to be listed among those contributing to the list of the dead in this challenging period globally," he said.