By Our Reporter
The River State Police Command has cautioned the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, following the closure of the 23 local government council secretariats in the state based on the likelihood of such protest being hijacked by unscrupulous elements.
The stance of the state police command came on the heels of alleged move by the Association of Local Government of Nigeria to embark on protest in the state based on alleged plan by former local government chairmen and the Martin Amaewhule-led 27 lawmakers said to be loyal loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike, to carry out a protest.
In a statement on Sunday, the state police command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, called on NULGE to suspend its planned strike to avoid a breakdown of law and order in the oil rich state.
But she assured that the Command will do everything to protect the lives and properties of Rivers residents, warning that the police will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute anyone or group trying to foment trouble that could lead to disruption of law and order.
“While the Command recognizes and respects the right to lawful assembly, it has credible intelligence that this protest will be infiltrated and hijacked by hoodlums seeking to cause disruption and mayhem within the state.
“Consequently, the command strongly advises the organisers to suspend the planned protest to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order.
“The Police will take all necessary lawful measures to protect the lives and properties of every resident in Rivers State. The Command has vowed to apprehend and prosecute any person or group that attempts to disrupt peace.
“To ensure the safety and security of the public, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji, has deployed Police Officers to the Secretariats of all 23 Local Government Areas in the State. These officers will remain in their respective locations until the threat of disruption of peace is deemed to have ceased,” the statement read.
Similarly, the ALGON Rivers State chapter has informed security agencies, especially the police, the Rivers government, and the public on the negative fallouts of any the planned action by the former local government chairmen and former members of the state House of Assembly and National Assembly members in the state.
ALGON Chairman, Ichemati Ezebunwo, warned as he addressed a press conference on Sunday noted that the protest was part of evil scheme to push the state into anarchy and chaos with a view to destabilizing governance, and creating an excuse for the unscrupulous elements to foist a state of emergency on Rivers State.
The ALGON leader stated that, “We are drawing the attention of the general public to the planned protest by the immediate past local government chairmen, former House of Assembly members, and National Assembly members loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, against the Nigeria Police Force manning the 23 local government councils across the state.
“The planned protest is not in the interest of the local governments and the state in its entirety. Rather, it is a calculated attempt by enemies of our dear state to paint the people of the state in a bad light, unleash mayhem while at it, and use it to further buttress their inordinate call for the declaration of a state of emergency in our dear state.
Ezebunwon concluded by saying that, “We emphatically state that we, members of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Rivers State Chapter, and our people are in support of the police decision to take control and protect all local government council Secretariats until further directive on the matter.”
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