Rivers LG Chair tenure elongation crisis: Fubara swears in new caretaker chairmen; Police takes over 23 council secretariats after breakdown of law, order

On Wednesday June 19, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has sworn in new caretaker chairmen for the 23 local government areas. The inauguration followed hours after the House of Assembly, led by factional Speaker Victor Jumbo, screened and confirmed the nominees.

Governor Fubara had forwarded the list to the state House of Assembly on Tuesday. According to a statement by the Clerk of the House, G.M. Gillis-West, the nominees were invited for screening at 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the police in Rivers state have intervened in the weeks long crisis bothering on tenure elongation by former Council Chairmen whose tenure expired on 17 June, 2024.

In what they described as “breakdown of law and order” at the various local government secretariats in the State on Tuesday which resulted in two deaths, the police announced the temporary takeover of all the 23 councils’ secretariats, including critical government infrastructure in the state.

The police confirmed the death of two persons in Eberi-Omuma, Omuma Local Government Area, including an officer and an unnamed local security guard, popularly known as “vigilante”.

Several persons, especially youths have occupied the secretariats of the 23 local government areas in an attempt to prevent the outgoing council chairmen and their supporters from gaining access into the head offices.

On Tuesday at the Obio-Akpor local government secretariat, scores of youths and women besieged the premises and pulled down the image of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, an indigene of the local government area and ex-chairman of the council.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara has vowed to be fearless in his attempt to lead the way to peace in the state affirming that the tenure of the former council chairmen has expired and directs HOPs to take over the administration of the councils. He also stressed, in a state broadcast, that his government will resist the arrest of his supporters.

In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, the police said the decision to take over the councils was taken to forestall more bloodshed and prevent further deterioration of security in the state.

The police stated, “Following the breakdown of law and order in the various local government council secretariats in Rivers State, where supporters of the two political factions clashed over the tenure of local government council chairmen, a case of death was recorded at Eberi-Omuma, Omuma LGA, where a police officer and a vigilante were killed.

“To forestall more bloodshed and prevent a further breakdown of law and order, the police have taken over all the 23 council secretariats and some critical government infrastructure in the state.

“Conventional police officers and anti-riot police officers have been deployed to these facilities.”

While urging all groups and individuals to be law-abiding, the police warned those intending to cause mayhem to retrace their steps, or face the full weight of the law.

The police added in the statement, “We also wish to ask the law-abiding residents and visitors in the state to go about their lawful businesses without fear. We are resolved to carry out our constitutional duty of protecting lives and property.”

The opposition lawmakers have accused the former local government chairmen of breaching the provisions of Section 37(1) of the Criminal Code Act, Section 39 of the Nigeria Police Act, Section 12 of the Criminal Procedure Code, Section 23 of the Criminal Procedure Code, and Section 1(2) of the 1999 Constitution that frowns on anybody or group of persons that attempts to unlawfully occupy position of power in the country or forcefully attempt to take over government in any part of Nigeria.