Nigeria’s South East and South-South professionals have demanded the immediate withdrawal of police forces besieging Rivers Local Government (LG) since June 17.Nigeria’s South East and South-South professionals have demanded the immediate withdrawal of police forces besieging Rivers Local Government (LG) since June 17. The group made the call during a press conference in Lagos, expressing concern over the situation and condemning the “unilateral actions” of the police. On June 17, police took over the 23 LG secretariats of Rivers State amid violence and attempts to dismiss local government chairmen whose terms had expired. The chairmen insisted on remaining in office for another six months as the state had not held elections to replace them. However, Governor Siminalayi Fubara dismissed them and appointed temporary committees. Police subsequently blocked access to the LG secretariats, citing court proceedings. The South East and South-South professionals condemned the police action as “illegal, unwarranted, rootless and irresponsible.” They argued that the LGs are under state control and the police have no authority to close them indefinitely. Assistant Inspector General of Police Paul Omata has reportedly visited the state to assess the situation but has not yet visited any LG secretariats. In the meantime, Caretaker Committee (CTC) chairmen have begun operating outside their own council areas and dissolving standing committees established by their predecessors. The Chairman of Ohio/Akpor LGA CTC, Chijioke Ihunwo, appealed for peace and cooperation from traditional rulers. The Chairman of Ogu/Bolo LGA CTC, Evans Bipi, announced a monthly subsidy program for households in the 12 wards. The suspect who attempted to detonate dynamite near the Presidential State Hotel in Port Harcourt remains in custody at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital under police guard.
Nigeria’s South East and South-South professionals on Wednesday called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to immediately withdraw the policemen who have been besieging the Rivers LG since June 17.
The group made the demand during a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Hannibal Uwaifo, the group expressed concern over the situation in Rivers and condemned what it described as “unilateral actions by the Nigerian police” in besieging the LG offices.
On June 17, police took over the 23 local government secretariats of Rivers State after violence broke out in an attempt to dismiss the local government chairmen whose terms had expired.
The LG chairmen had insisted that they remain in office for another six months as the state had not held LG elections to produce their replacements.
However, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara insisted they could no longer remain in office and appointed temporary committees to replace them.
After the conflict, the police intervened and demanded that no one be allowed access to the LG’s secretariats.
Egbetokun said the LG offices would remain manned by the police until the court delivers its judgment on the case.
Our correspondents, who visited on Wednesday, found that 16 days later, police officers were still present at the LG secretariats, blocking access.
The SESSPN criticised police action on Wednesday and called for an end to the siege.
The group said: “Local Government Councils are under the Nigerian Constitution, effectively under the control of the state governments and there is no indication that the Rivers State Government has invited the Nigerian Police. It is therefore the view of SESSPN that the police should be cautious not to join the march to orchestrate a constitutional crisis that could become a multi-headed one.
“The SESSPN therefore condemns the police siege of the local government councils in Rivers as clearly illegal, unwarranted, rootless and irresponsible and calls on the IGP to immediately withdraw it or else take legal action including peaceful protests until they vacate the councils.”
The Court found that the police actions resulted in all employees of the 23 LGAs being denied access to their offices and unable to carry out their legitimate duties.
“The 23 LGA staff are not involved in any legal proceedings and have not invited the police to protect them from those in court. The police are not parties to the legal proceedings and the courts have never mandated the police to act on their behalf. The police do not have the capacity to determine when each of the legal proceedings will end and therefore it will be unreasonable for them to close the council secretariats indefinitely,” the group stressed.
Last week, Paul Omata, Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 16, comprising the Rivers and Bayelsa Commands, said during a visit to the state that he would visit the 23 LGAs to assess the security situation.
“My arrival is a working visit. It coincided with the decoration of officers who were promoted from Chief Superintendent to Assistant Commissioner of Police.
“I also plan to visit the Local Government Area headquarters to see things with my own eyes. To see the situation on the ground and see if we can add or subtract anything,” he said.
Almost a week after the statement, he had still not attended a single city council meeting.
In the meantime, the CTC chairmen have also started working outside their own council area, in accordance with the governor’s guidelines.
Many of them immediately began dissolving all standing committees and working groups established by their predecessors.
The Chairman of the Ohio/Akpor LGA CTC, Chijioke Ihunwo, during a meeting with traditional rulers, appealed to them to ensure that peace prevailed in their domains.
Declaring open a meeting of government-approved traditional rulers in Ohio/Akpor LGA, he said the monarchs should work closely with him and the security agencies to maintain peace in the various communities, especially in the area of information sharing.
He said his government would soon present programs that would improve living conditions.
“I have decided to engage with our traditional rulers because you are the custodians of the land and we want absolute peace in our local government.
“By the grace of God, we have a governor who has a conscience. We have a governor who means well for our people, a governor who loves the people of Rivers.
“Therefore, all hands must be on deck to ensure that we support the current administration of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara.
“We are also aware that most of the traditional rulers of our local government have taken sides. But as a team we want to say that we will work together because the governor believes in unity and one love.”
On his part, the Chairman of the Ogu/Bolo LGA Care Committee, Honourable Evans Bipi, said the council would start distributing monthly subsidies to households in the 12 wards from next week.
Speaking during a familiarisation visit to Ele and Ikpama communities in Ogu/Bolo, Bipi said 30 people from each ward would benefit from the monthly empowerment programme, which is aimed at boosting small-scale businesses in the area.
“We give people money to do business and stimulate the local economy. This government is for stomach infrastructure,” he said.
Similarly, the CTC Chairman of Opobo LGA, Eyiada Cookey-Gam, handed over official cars to the six members of his committee.
Cookey-Gam, who presented the cars at his office in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, urged them to put the vehicles to good use for the purpose for which they were purchased.
He also advised them to maintain good relations with the people and provide them with democratic benefits.
In another development, the suspect who attempted to detonate dynamite along Aba Road, near the Presidential State Hotel in Port Harcourt, is still in custody at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital in Port Harcourt.
Our correspondent who visited the hospital on Tuesday saw that the facility was still under guard. There were three police vans with officers in the facility and on the grounds.
