JUST IN; Rivers crisis worsens as Hoodlums set another LGA Secretariat on fire
Again, thugs have set fire to a section of another local government in River’s State Emohua local government secretariat, marking the third such incident on Monday.
Earlier, unrest erupted as angry youths torched parts of the Eleme and Ikwerre local government secretariats.
The attack on the Emohua LGA secretariat occurred shortly after the swearing-in of newly elected chairperson David Omereji, his deputy, and councillors on Sunday.
Following the ceremony, armed groups targeted several local government secretariats, aiming to disrupt the new officials from assuming their roles.
Newly elected chairpersons and councillors arrived at their offices to find thick black smoke engulfing the area.
In Obio/Akpor LGA, assailants stormed the secretariat, firing shots to intimidate staff. A video circulating online shows armed police officers successfully repelling the attackers.
This wave of violence comes just hours after Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun ordered the immediate withdrawal of police personnel from the secretariats of all 23 LGAs in the state.
Grace Iringe-Koko, the police spokesperson in Rivers, stated that the IGP’s directive aims to maintain neutrality and support the functioning of democratic institutions.
On Sunday, Governor Siminalayi Fubara inaugurated the 23 newly elected local government chairpersons.
The Action Peoples Party (APP) secured victories in 22 LGAs, while the Action Alliance (AA) won one. Fubara’s allies had collaborated with APP to secure candidacies for the elections.
During the swearing-in ceremony, Fubara warned of potential violence targeting the newly elected officials. The ongoing crisis in the state is linked to tensions between Fubara and Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
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