Kehinde Fajobi
Just hours after the Rivers State Police Command announced the reopening of previously sealed local government secretariats, violence broke out across several areas, resulting in arson, shootings, and fatalities.
On Monday morning, the Eleme Local Government secretariat was set ablaze shortly after the newly elected chairman, Brian Gokpa, arrived with councilors and supporters.
Eyewitnesses said that the attackers deliberately targeted certain buildings within the complex, causing significant damage. The motive behind the attack remains unknown.
The secretariats had been sealed since June due to a political rift between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his former ally, Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. This closure forced caretaker chairmen appointed by Fubara to work from alternative locations.
Despite Wike’s opposition, local government elections were held on October 5, 2024, and Governor Fubara swore in new chairmen the following day.
Earlier that day, the Rivers State Police Command confirmed in a statement that the secretariats were unsealed following an order from the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Commissioner of Police Bala Mustapha, newly deployed to the state, conveyed the IGP’s directive to withdraw police officers stationed at the secretariats, ensuring neutrality and the smooth operation of democratic processes. The police assured residents that they would only return if a security threat emerged.
Despite these assurances, violence soon flared. In Khana Local Government Area, one person was killed during gunfire on the road leading to the Rector’s Lodge. Meanwhile, in Obio/Akpor, tensions rose as bottles were thrown during a confrontation, though police quickly intervened.
In Bori, members of the PDP and Action People’s Party (APP) clashed during a protest at the Khana Council Secretariat following the police withdrawal. In Ikwerre LGA, gunmen chased the newly elected chairman and his supporters out of the secretariat.
Pro-Wike supporters have also taken control of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA secretariat, preventing the pro-Fubara chairman from accessing the office.
Meanwhile, in Oyigbo LGA, the new Executive Chairman, Dr. Gift Okere, took control of the secretariat, with operations resuming immediately after the swearing-in of the vice chairman and ten councilors. Andoni LGA has remained peaceful, with the council chairman addressing his supporters from the secretariat in Ngo.
In Ahoada East, pro-Wike groups initially blocked access to the secretariat, but after a shooting incident that left three people injured, the blockade was lifted.
The ongoing violence highlights the deep political divide in Rivers State and raises fears of further unrest as newly elected officials attempt to assume office.