Rivers Crisis: How Ikwere, Eleme LG secretariats were set ablaze—Eyewitnesses

The newly built council secretariat at Isiokpo in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of River State has been set ablaze.

A resident of the area confirmed the incident to Channels Television on Monday even as videos on social media showed the administrative building on fire.

Police authorities have not commented on the incident and the extent of damage is still unclear.

This incident followed the withdrawal of police officers securing the 23 council secretariats.

Earlier, some sections of the Eleme council secretariat was also set ablaze.

A former ambassador, Oji Ngofa, who hails from Eleme told Channels Television that the newly elected chairman of the council, Brain Gokpa came to the secretariat accompanied by his councillors and supporters.

According to him, the LG boss, however, discovered that a few of the buildings in the council had been set ablaze.

The new council chairman, his councillors, and supporters have vowed to take over the secretariat come what may.

In Emohua council, some unknown individuals also barricaded the entrance to the secretariat. They were resisting the resumption of the new Chairman David Omereju.

In a social media video, they could be heard chanting “No Wike, No Rivers State!!”

So far, no arrests have been made and the police are yet to release any statement on the situation.

The incident adds to the list of issues that have propped up since Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s swearing-in of the new chairmen in Rivers State on Sunday.

Saturday’s election was filled with drama, intrigues, and twists in the lead-up. There were also explosions, protests, and gunshots during that period and on the day Rivers residents went to the polls.

Analysts have warned against the rising tension in the oil-rich state and fears it may escalate.

Source: CHANNELS TV