There was pandemonium in Rivers State on Monday as suspected thugs set ablze Ikwerre Local Government Secretariat. A video of the burning building
There was pandemonium in Rivers State on Monday as suspected thugs set ablze Ikwerre Local Government Secretariat.
A video of the burning building has gone viral on social media.
The incident happened days after the local government election was held across the 23 council areas of the state.
The attackers reportedly barricaded the council entrances and fired shots indiscriminately.
These actions are allegedly aimed at preventing the newly elected LG chairmen from resuming in their offices.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had ordered the immediate withdrawal of Police personnel from the 23 Rivers State LG secretariats after over three months of deployment.
In Bori, Khana LGA, a gunfight broke out after armed men opened fire on members of a political party, leading to an exchange of fire between the attackers and the Police.
In Eleme, arsonists set fire to the local council in an effort to prevent the newly elected chairman from taking office.
Similarly, heavy gunfire was reported in Obio/Akpor LGA, where assailants sought to disrupt the inauguration of councilors by the local government chairman.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that three people have been killed in the chaos across Obio/Akpor, Khana, and Ahoada East LGAs.
Despite numerous calls for action, the state police command has yet to comment on the situation or take decisive steps to restore order and security at the affected secretariats.
A former Commissioner for Information, Austin Tam-George, accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike of causing crisis in the state.
George claimed that Wike was attempting to remove the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara.
Rivers State has been in the news for several months, with heightened tensions in recent weeks leading up to the local government elections.
Fubara became the governor of Rivers state with the support of the FCT minister.
A few months after his swearing-in, Fubara’s relationship with Wike started going sour.
Fubara, a sitting governor seems to be resisting Wike from taking over the leadership of the state from him.
Despite President Bola Tinubu’s intervention, the Minister and his successor have refused to shield their sword.
The leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Rivers State on had called on President Tinubu to declare a state of emergency with a view to solving the political crisis.
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