The Rivers State Police Command, in response to escalating violence linked to a dispute over the tenure of local government council chairmen, has taken control of the secretariats of all 23 Local Government Areas in the state.
This intervention comes after a series of violent clashes between political factions.
The crisis reached a boiling point when a policeman and a local vigilante member were killed in a confrontation at the Omuma local government area secretariat. The incident underscored the severity of the unrest, prompting swift action from the authorities.
Grace Iringe-Koko, the Police Public Relations Officer, issued a statement from Port Harcourt on Tuesday night, detailing the rationale behind the police takeover. She stated, “Following the breakdown of law and order in the various Local Government Council secretariats in Rivers State, where supporters of the two political factions clashed over the tenure of Local Government Council Chairmen, a case of death was recorded at Eberi-Omuma, Omuma LGA, where a police officer and a vigilante were killed.”
In light of these events, the police have deployed conventional and anti-riot officers to secure the secretariats and other critical government infrastructure. “To forestall more bloodshed and prevent a further breakdown of law and order, the Police have taken over all the 23 Council Secretariats and some critical government infrastructure in the state. Conventional police officers and anti-riot police officers have been deployed to these facilities,” the statement continued.
Iringe-Koko also called for calm and compliance with the law from all parties involved. She warned potential troublemakers, saying, “We warn anyone who intends to cause mayhem that we will not hesitate to impose the full weight of the law on them.”
To reassure the public, she emphasized the police’s commitment to maintaining safety and order: “We also wish to ask the law-abiding residents and visitors in the state to go about their lawful businesses without fear. We are resolved to carry out our constitutional duty of protecting lives and property.”
