Some community youths in Biogbolo community in Yenagoa local government area of Bayelsa State on Thursday clashed with hunger protesters along the Mbiama/Yenagoa road.
The Central Zone of the Ijaw Youths Council had made it clear that the foremost youths body would not the involved in the protest on Wednesday.
The IYC which is the umbrella body of of all Ijaw youths stayed away from the protest on Thursday. It was not clear whether the anti protest group came from the IYC.
The Network gathered that a detachment of police operatives deployed in the axis intervened when the two groups made to confront each other.
The police operatives came in between the protesters and the youths group at the popular Opolo Junction to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
While the protesters insisted that the protest would continue, their counterparts saw differently.
The arguments and counter argument degenerated when bottles, planks, and other dangerous weapons were deployed in the fracas.
It was gathered that both parties were dispersed when gunshots rocked the area.
The Network could not confirm whether it was the police that fired the shots to disperse the crowd or not.
Prior to this, there were no protesters in sight in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State Capital as at 8am.
The Network observed that economic activities were brought to a halt with commercial banks, eateries, shops shut down.
Two major markets in the state capital, Swali and Tombia had partial operations.
Security men were seen deployed at strategic junctions, roundabouts and hot spots in Yenagoa.
