The situation in Rivers State intensified on Tuesday over the tenure of 23 local government chairmen, with protesting youths loyal to the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, deposing no fewer than three chairmen who refused to resign their positions.
A police officer was slain at Eberi-Omuma in the Omuma Local Government Council secretariat following a dispute between supporters of Fubara and his predecessor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike.
To prevent a breakdown in law and order, the police declared Tuesday evening that they would take over the 23 municipal secretariats.
The 23 chairmen’s three-year terms expired on Monday, but they promised to continue in office, citing the Local Government Amendment Law 2024 passed by the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.
Due to Fubara’s failure to conduct local government elections, the 27 members loyal to Wike passed legislation allowing them to continue in office for another six months.
Obarimate Ollor, Secretary of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, alleged at the first Annual General Meeting of the Aleto Clan Association in Port Harcourt last Thursday that there were plans to invade the council on Monday (yesterday).
On Monday, youths took the secretariats of three Kalabari-speaking local governments, notably Asari-Toru, Akuku-Toru, and Degema, vowing not to give chairmen entry because their terms had ended.
This happened as Fubara, in a state-wide broadcast on Tuesday, asked the leaders of local government administrations to assume responsibility for council matters beginning Wednesday (tomorrow), pending further instructions.
However, the crisis escalated later on Tuesday at the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area Council, when state ALGON Chairman Allwell Ihunda narrowly escaped death when scores of protesting Ijaw youths chased him in front of the council while attempting to enter the facility located between Bank Road and Moscow Road.
Ihunda, the outgoing Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, was on his way to the council secretariat with some aides and security details when the youths stopped him, claiming they were enforcing the governor’s order, which directed heads of local government administrations to take charge of the 23 LGAs.
As he tried to get his way, the youths began shouting, following him, and attempting to catch Ihunda, who was racing towards his car.
However, the security detail assigned to the mayor, as he is affectionately known, prevented the youths from reaching their principle and, as a result, shot intermittently into the air to disperse them.
Ihunda dashed into his waiting SUV, accompanied by aides, and drove away with his convoy while the youths pursued and cursed him.
Some of the youths were heard shouting with a tone of mockery and pelting stones at his vehicle, saying, “That is him, Allwell. Chase him. Who is he? Look at him. The mayor is running. Chase him. Don’t run; you will see pressure. We are not afraid of you’’.
Soon after, a team of police officers appeared on the site, firing firearms and teargas canisters in an attempt to disperse the protestors, who included members of the Ijaw Youths Council.
One of the protestors, who declined to give his name for fear of being identified, stated that they were at the secretariat to carry out a peaceful demonstration against Ihunda, who they claimed had pledged not to leave office despite the expiration of his term on Monday.
He, however, said that policemen began spraying live bullets and teargas canisters in their direction as soon as they spotted the youths, even as they approached news reporters to state their grievances.
He stated, “The tenures of the LG chairmen have elapsed, and we came here as citizens of Rivers State. We stand here as Ijaw youths for peace and tranquility. But the police are shooting at us. We are here for the governor of Rivers State. We are not here to make trouble.”
