Former council chairmen from 21 of Rivers State‘s 23 local government areas (LGAs) protested on Monday in their respective council areas.
Former Chairman Onengiyeofori George and his followers marched through Buguma, the council headquarters of the Asari-Toru LGA, gyrating to songs in sympathy with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
They held posters with inscriptions urging the police to continue occupying the municipal headquarters. Some of the inscriptions read “Sim Fubara Can’t Continue to Act As He Likes” and “There’s No Vacancy in Asari-Toru Council”.
The pro-Wike former LGA bosses protested in their local councils despite an advisory against protests issued by the Rivers State Police Command.
At Asari-Toru LGA, the protest almost turned violent when some men believed to be operatives of Asari Dokubo’s private military company colloquially known as Amama Soldiers attempted to attack the protesters.
The Amama Soldiers were swiftly restrained by policemen who were very alert. The demonstrators later presented a protest letter to the police.
Also in Abonnema, the Akuku-Toru LGA council headquarters, some persons staged a protest, backing the continued closure of council premises by the police.
The police took over the council secretariats of the 23 LGAs in the oil-rich South-South last Tuesday following the crisis that erupted over the three-year tenure expiration of the former LGA chairmen. Three deaths have been recorded in the wake of the pandemonium.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara immediately sworn in 23 caretaker chairmen but the police have continued to barricade the council premises in all the LGAs preventing both parties from gaining access to avert possibilities of break down of law and order.