Rivers of crisis:Police officer, vigilante member shot dead as youths, security agencies takeover LGA secretariats on expiration of chairmen’s tenure

Emmanuel Nlewedum, Port Harcourt

There is an uneasy calm across the 21 out of 23 local government areas of Rivers State following the expiration of the tenure of the council chairmen in the state.
Daily Champion investigation has revealed that tension is building up across the 21 LGAs of the State as Rivers youths and fully armed policemen have taken over the council secretariats.
The tensed atmosphere and demonstrations by the youths and other Rivers men followed the declaration by the council chairmen that they would not vacate office when their tenure elapsed on Monday June 17, 2024.
The situation has sparked fears of possible outbreak of violence among residents of the state.
A check by our correspondent in some local government headquarters in the state shows that Police vans have taken over the entrance gates of Port Harcourt City LGA, Ikwerre LGA and Obio/Akpor Local government councils.
At Degema LGA, Asari Toru LGA, Akuku-Toru LGA, Emohua LGA, Ahoada West LGA, Ogu/Bolo LGA and Eleme LGA, a mammoth crowd of youths were seen taking over the council and blocking the secretariats gates, chanting songs in solidarity and demanding the departure of the Chairmen whose tenure has elapsed.
The youths vowed to remain at the gates till Wednesday to stop the ex-elected council officials from gaining access to their offices.
They insisted that their three-year tenure ended on June 17 and that they should not be seen around the secretariats after the Sallah holiday.
The youths were heard chanting “Chairman must go”, as others arrived the gate to join them.
At Omuma local government area, the youths did not only takeover the secretariat, but violence broke out leading to the death of one police officer and a vigilante member at the council headquarters.
Meanwhile, in Obio-Akpor local government area, home town of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, some youths were seen destroying a statue of the former Rivers governor, built by the out-gone Chairman, Barr. George Ariolu to honour the minister.
The youths were heard chanting “There is no more Wike, no more no more, for many thousand years.”
Though the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara in a state broadcast Tuesday morning, directed Head of Administration of the local government areas to take over leadership of the councils, but there were indications that he (Fubara), had sent a list of caretaker committees to the lawmakers led by factional Speaker Victor Oko-Jumbo.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu has warned residents of the state against taking laws into their own hands, emphasising that anyone found breaking the law would face the full wrath of the law.
Disu while addressing newsmen at the State Police Command headquarter assured the public that the Police is committed to maintaining law and order, even as he declared his readiness to protect lives and properties in the face of ongoing tensions.
He however, urged parents to caution their children against getting involved in the crisis, warning that they should not be used as “cannon fodder.”
He also vowed to protect all government property and human lives in the community, ensuring a safe and secure environment for all.
He said: “My job as a policeman is to protect lives and property. And that is what we have gone out to do since morning.
“We are aware of the crisis that has to do with the tenure of the Local Government Chairmen and we have gotten one court order or the other, and the Court of Appeal has given an order for everybody to exercise restraints till the 20th of this month, just three days.
“So we expect everybody to respect it and not take laws into their hands and allow peace to continue as it is.”
Disu further assured that his officers are working round the clock to safeguard the property and lives of residents of the State.
He added: “Sincerely you know our officers have been out for the past three days.
“I just finished addressing them and I thank them for the good job they have done and because they have been out since 4 am, and they just came back, we are not taking it lightly, we are ready to go, our officers have been on a show of force and we have had additional men given to us from the Headquarters, the equipment has been serviced and we are ready to go.
“This is just to assure members of the public that so far as we are concerned we are ready to do our jobs of protecting lives and property.
“We have warned anybody who would want to take laws into their own hands. I want to use this opportunity to talk to parents to call their children to order and talk to them so that their children will not be used as cannon fodder in this crisis.
“Everything that has to do with government property and every human being in this community would be protected.”

Fubara meets security heads, vows to protect Rivers people, resist supporters’ arrest

Meanwhile, Governor Fubara, has assured that he will fearlessly lead the way to ensure that peace continued to prevail in the State while also protecting all patriotic supporters for their stand on the path of truth.
A statement issued by Nelson Chukwudi, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said Fubara made the vow while addressing newsmen, shortly after rising from a State Security Council meeting with heads of the security agencies at Government House in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
The Governor emphasised that no grand plan to arrest such patriotic supporters on trumped-up charges will be tolerated.
He stated that there is no extension of tenure of elected local government chairmen, adding that the law is unambiguous on it, clarifying that the court has also affirmed the position of the law.
The Governor said: “Let me also say this: I’m also aware that there is a grand plan to come and arrest some of our supporters. This time around, you have to pass through me to arrest them because I don’t think there is anything that any of those people following us has done. Rather, thy are standing on the side of truth.
“If it will cost us our lives to stand on the part of truth, we will do that. And I will be the one that will lead the course,” he added.
Fubara further said: “Let me assure everyone, more especially, the great and peace- loving people of Rivers State: the law is the law. The law has said that there is no extension of tenure.
“The court said so, and whoever that is assuring anybody anywhere of whatever, I advise them to desist from it because peace is what we need in this State.
“I assure everyone of you that whatever it takes to make sure that we maintain peace and order, we are not going back on that,” he emphasised.
According to him, the Security Council Meeting was called because of the recent threat to the peace of the State by the outgone chairmen of the Local Government Councils.
He said: “You are all aware that the tenure of the council chairmen ended yesterday, 17th June, 2024, and today, we have ordered the Heads of Local Government Administration to be in charge while they await further directives.
“It’s really unfortunate that we started hearing some disturbing news from some LGAs of invasion of council secretariats. So, we have called the Security Council Meeting so that the needful will be done.
“We are also aware that our enemy is also planning a lot of things. But we will not fall into that plot. We will not also allow him or them to destroy the peace that we are enjoying in the State,” he added.
He thanked the media and the peace-loving people of the State for their support, and urged everyone to continue to remain law-abiding for the unity and progress of the State.