RIVERS: Police clears attempted disruptions as 23 newly inaugurated LGA Chairmen assume duty
By KEMI KASUMU
Information reaching The DEFENDER says operatives of the Nigerian Police Force woke into the fresh phase of duty when some political agents believed to be allegedly working for “PDAPC’s” Nyesom tried to barricade gates of some of the state’s Local Governments Secretariats to disrupt resumption, on Monday October 7, 2024, of the newly elected Chairmen sworn-in on Sunday October 6, by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
This globalised online newspaper reports that Governor Fubara had on Sunday swore in the 22 Action Peoples Party (APP) and one Action Alliance chieftains, who emerged winners in Saturday October 5, 2025 at a ceremony attended by Governor of Bauchi State and Chairman Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum (GF).
Some disagreement were were said to have ensued in the Ahoada East of Rivers State following lifting of the three-month ban on the Local Government Area secretariats by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Ahoada East is the Local Government Area of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Edison Ehie.
According to our sources, police officers were seen firing into the air to disperse persons who tried to resist the resumption of the Ahoada East chairman.
A statement by the Rivers State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Grace Iringe-Koko, earlier Monday morning, said authorities of the foremost security had directed the re-opening of all the 23 LGA secretariats in the state.
The newly deployed Commissioner of Police, CP Mustapha Bala, acting on the orders of the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered the immediate withdrawal of all police personnel previously deployed to seal and safeguard the council secretariats in the state.
The secretariats were sealed in June following the disagreement between the Caretaker Committee Chairmen loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the immediate past local government chairmen, who were loyalists of Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
TTheswearin in exercise held at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Sunday, followed a day after the Rivers State Independent National Electoral Commission (RSIEC) conducted an election at the grassroots level.
There was also an initial report that some individuals had attempted to barricade the Port Harcourt City LGA secretariat earlier on Monday, when the Chairman, Ezebunwo Ichemati tried to access the council secretariat.
The crisis was, however, allegedly foiled when the men sighted the chairmen, councillors and supporters arriving at the council.
Ichemati was later seen supervising the clearing of overgrown grasses and cleaning of the council and other facilities within the premises.
