The political unrest in Rivers State has intensified following the swearing-in of new council chairmen by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, as armed thugs have set fire to two local government area secretariats. Reports indicate that groups of hoodlums stormed multiple local government secretariats, vandalizing property and igniting buildings.
The violent attacks began around 11 a.m. on Monday, with Eleme Local Government Area being one of the first targets. Thugs set parts of the secretariat ablaze, aiming to block the newly sworn-in chairman from accessing the office.
In the Ikwerre Local Government secretariat in Isiokpo, the office of the chairman was also torched by thugs protesting the legitimacy of Saturday’s elections.
Explosives Detonated in Emohua
In a particularly violent incident in Emohua, a group of youths attacked the council secretariat just after the newly sworn-in chairman, David Omereji, had inaugurated his deputy, Patient Ebere, along with 14 councillors. The attackers reportedly detonated explosives believed to be dynamite, causing significant damage to the building and shattering property within the premises.
These violent incidents follow the withdrawal of police from local government premises after the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered security personnel to vacate the council gates. The escalating violence raises serious concerns about political stability in the state.
Earlier reports indicated heavy gunfire across several local government areas as armed thugs sought to prevent the newly sworn-in LG chairmen from accessing their respective council offices. The unrest follows the conclusion of local government elections conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) on Saturday, leading to Governor Fubara’s swearing-in of the 23 elected LG chairmen.