The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) and over 40 affiliate groups have issued a stern warning to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, demanding the withdrawal of police officers from the 23 local government councils in Rivers State.
The CLO has threatened a statewide protest if their demand is not met.
The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, deployed officers to all the local government councils following the expiration of the tenure of the outgoing chairmen.
This action has led the newly sworn-in caretaker chairmen to operate from unconventional locations such as homes and hotels.
Turning Rivers Into a Police State
Comrade Enefaa Georgewill, the South-South zonal chairman of CLO, criticized the continuous police blockade of the councils, calling it “insulting and demeaning to the people of the state.” Georgewill announced a seven-day ultimatum for the police to vacate the secretariats or face a mass anti-police protest.
“We give the Nigerian Police a seven-day ultimatum which expires next Friday, June 28, 2024, to withdraw its men from the 23 secretariats across the local government areas of the state,” Georgewill stated.
“We are consulting with our affiliates and giving the police a grace period to do the needful.”
He emphasized the need for the police to respect the judgment of a competent court that ruled against the extension of the past council chairmen’s tenure.
“Police ought to obey the subsisting judgment and remain neutral in the matter pending the final ruling by the Appeal Court,” he added.
NULGE Demands Access for Workers
Similarly, the Rivers State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has called on the police to vacate the council secretariats.
Comrade Clifford Paul, the state chairman of NULGE, highlighted the pressing concern of local government workers being denied access to their offices.
“We call on the Rivers State Police Command to immediately withdraw all police personnel from the council secretariats in the state,” Paul said.
“The presence of these personnel has prevented our local government workers from carrying out their legitimate duties.”
NULGE has given the police a deadline of Monday, June 24, 2024, to vacate all local government secretariats in Rivers State.
Unlawful Police Siege
Mr. Sogboye Eli, a lawyer and former spokesman of the APC campaign council in Rivers State, described the police siege as “unlawful, unconstitutional, provocative, and further derogating the situation in Rivers State.”
Eli noted that there was no court order authorizing the Police IG to besiege the local government councils.
Call for Non-violence
In the midst of the political crisis, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Prince Chibudom Nwuche, has urged Rivers youths to shun violence and criminal activities.
Hosting party stakeholders and supporters at his Ochigba Country home, Nwuche expressed support for President Bola Tinubu and FCT Minister Chief Nyesom Wike.
Nwuche praised Wike’s infrastructural contributions both in Rivers State and Abuja, calling him a “dependable and trustworthy personality.”
He encouraged the people to support the Tinubu-led Federal Government and assured them of his commitment to attracting more development to the area.
Various political groups, including New Era and Esama Political Grassroots Advocacy (EPGA), expressed their loyalty to Nwuche and support for Wike and Tinubu. Hon. Uche Igbegiri and Chief Hon. Blessing Agbi, among others, commended Nwuche’s leadership and contributions to the development of Ekpeye.
