THE Rivers State Police Command has called on the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) to suspend its protest over the closure of 23 local government council secretariats, citing credible intelligence reports of potential hijacking by hoodlums.
In the same vein, the Rivers State chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has alerted security agencies, the state government and the public to the potential repercussions of a protest by former local government chairmen, former members of the state and National Assembly.
In a statement signed by the 23 local council caretaker committee chairmen, ALGON warned that the protest was a deliberate attempt to incite anarchy and chaos in the state.
The Police, in a statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko (SP), in Port Harcourt, on Monday, June 24, said: “The Command respects the right to lawful assembly, but have received credible intelligence indicating potential infiltration of the planned protest on Monday.
“Hoodlums plan to hijack the protest and instigate chaos in the state.
“Consequently, the Command advises the organisers to suspend the planned protest to avert any possible breakdown of law and order.”
Iringe-Koko affirmed Police’s commitment to safeguarding the lives and property of residents, warning of the arrest and prosecution of anyone or group attempting to disturb the peace of the state.
“In an effort to ensure public safety, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olatunji Disu, has deployed officers to the 23 local council secretariats to maintain security until the risk of disruption ceases.
“Comprehensive security measures have been put in place to safeguard lives and property, ensuring unhindered traffic flow and lawful activities across the state,” she added.
She urged residents to carry on with their daily activities without fear, assuring that the Police have implemented tactical measures to guarantee their safety.
Speaking at a press conference in Port Harcourt on Sunday, June 23, ALGON Chairman, Prince Ichemati Ezebunwo, who is also the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the Port Harcourt City Council, alleged that the protest aims to destabilise governance and create a pretext for declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State.
Ezebunwo said: “We are drawing the attention of the general public to the planned protest by the immediate past local government chairmen, former House of Assembly and National Assembly members loyal to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, against the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) manning the 23 local government councils across the state.
“The planned protest is not in the interest of the local governments and the state in its entirety. Rather, it is a calculated attempt by enemies of our dear state to paint the people of the state in bad light, unleash mayhem while at it and use it to further buttress their call for the declaration of a state of emergency in our dear state.
“We emphatically state that we, members of ALGON, Rivers State Chapter, and our people are in support of the Police decision to take control and protect all local government council secretariats until further directive on the matter.”
Ezebunwo clarified that since the caretaker committee chairmen were sworn in by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, there have been no attempts to forcibly take over or access any of the council secretariats, adding that this compliance follows the governor’s directive to them to wait for Police withdrawal from the secretariats.
He added: “We want to categorically state that we are not in any way linked to the planned protest, as it is inimical to the progress and well-being of the people of the state, considering the plots by some politicians to take advantage, under the guise of protest, to cause chaos and destabilise governance in the state.”
Ezebunwo charged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, and Disu to take immediate action to maintain law and order by preventing any protests in the state.
Recall that Fubara had on June 20, in a state-wide broadcast, dissolved the councils, citing the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) on the tenure of local government administration and directed the heads of administration in the councils to immediately take charge of affairs, and also ordered for the audit of the councils.
But the governor has since appointed caretaker committees, who are operating outside the councils’ secretariats due to their takeover by the Police.
Egbetokun had on June 22 announced that the Police would not vacate the secretariats until the courts give final judgment on the tenure of the chairmen.
