By Tina Amanda
The political crisis in Rivers State took a dangerous turn on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, as unidentified assailants shot and killed a police officer and a vigilante personnel in Eberi, Omuma Local Government Area of the state.
We gathered that trouble started when some youth came to the secretariat to demand the Council Chairman not to be allowed into the secretariat following the expiration of his tenure on Monday June 17, 2024, and subsequent directive by the Rivers State Governor for Head of Local Government Administrations to take over the Councils pending further directive.
Report had it that some hoodlums claiming to be supporters of the two factional political groups in the state had engaged themselves in heavy fight causing panic and pandemonium in the community.
We cannot categorically establish how the Police officer and vigilante personnel at the scene was caught by bullet leading to their death.
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A video which surfaced on internet hours after the shooting at Omuma Council secretariat showed one faction of the group involved in the crisis claiming to have taken over the Council while singing praise of a particular political leader.
Our Correspondent report that the Nigeria Police has taken over Obio/Akpor Council secretariat earlier seized by one of the Political factions in the state.other LGAs like Khana, Degema, Asari-Toru, Port Harcourt, Eleme, Ogu-Bolo etc were taken over by Youth said to be opposing the tenure elongation of the Local Government Chairmen
In her response to the crisis, Spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe, confirmed the incident. “We lost a Police Officer and vigilante personnel at Eberi Omuma Investigation is ongoing”.
