By Ayo Kehinde
Tension escalated in Rivers State on Monday morning, following heavy gunshots in some local government secretariat.
Hoodlums, suspected to be political thugs, attacked and set fire on Eleme and Ikwerre Local Government Council Secretariat.
The violence follows the lifting of a three-month ban on local government secretariats by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, on Monday.
Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson of the Rivers Police Command, announced on Monday, that acting on the IGP’s orders, newly deployed Commissioner of Police, CP Mustapha Bala, directed the immediate withdrawal of police officers who had been stationed to secure the sealed secretariats.
The violence, allegedly carried out by supporters of former local governments chairmen loyal to FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who had insisted that their tenure had yet to expire.
In Ahoada East, police officers fired warning shots to disperse people attempting to prevent the resumption of the newly elected chairman on Monday.
There were reports of an attempted blockade at the Port Harcourt City Local Government secretariat earlier on Monday, when the newly elected chairman, Ezebunwo Ichemati, tried to access the premises.
The situation was defused as the chairman, councillors, and supporters arrived at the council, with Ichemati later seen overseeing the clearing and cleaning of the council facilities.
However, at Emohua, Ikwerre LGA secretariat, normalcy has yet to return.
