With no less than two deaths recorded, Rivers’s political crisis has turned bloody.
JomogNews Nigeria reports that the Rivers State Police Command has taken control of all 23 Local Government Area secretariats in the state.
This was confirmed by SP Grace Iringe Koko, the Police Public Relations Officer, in a statement issued Tuesday evening in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
She attributed this action to the breakdown of law and order at the various Local Government Council Secretariats.
Youths had stormed the councils following the expiration of the chairmen’s tenures. These chairmen, backed by the pro-Wike faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly, had refused to leave office after their tenures were extended by six months.
However, Governor Siminalayi Fubara directed all chairmen to hand over to the Heads of Administration in their respective LGAs. This directive led to clashes between supporters of the two political camps at the LGA secretariats, resulting in violence in some areas.
No less than two deaths were recorded in Eberi-Omuma, Omuma LGA, where a police officer and a vigilante were killed with many other people sustaining injuries.
In a bid to avoid more bloodshed and restore order, the police took control of all 23 Council Secretariats and other critical government infrastructure in the state. Koko stated that conventional and anti-riot police officers have been deployed to these facilities, warning that the command will impose the full weight of the law on anyone attempting to cause chaos.
“We also wish to ask the law-abiding residents and visitors in the state to go about their lawful businesses without fear. We are resolved to carry out our constitutional duty of protecting lives and property,” Koko emphasized.
Governor Fubara had earlier met with heads of security agencies at Government House, Port Harcourt. Following the meeting, the Governor raised concerns about plots to target his supporters, vowing to resist any such actions. “I will lead the move to resist such arrests,” he declared.
