Eleme, Ikwerre council secretariats set ablaze

…Fubara men ward off the attack at Obio/Akpor, Wike men occupy Emohua

Hints on Sunday, October 6, 2024, that 20 boys had been hired in each of the 23 LGAs of Rivers State to wage wars at each LGA secretariat the next day may not be false after all as two LGA secretariats have so far been set ablaze.

The hint was that the men were hired by a political camp at a mentioned fee to stop those sworn in on Sunday from accessing the secretariats.

Trouble began Monday morning when reports came from Bori, headquarters of Khana LGA council that men allegedly laid ambush and attacked a delegation of those who were sworn in the previous day.

A source said: “There was heavy shooting at a road beside the Bori Police station which leads to the polytechnic rector’s lodge.

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“We gathered that some assailants came out from the bush and opened fire on elected members of a particular political party who wanted to access the rector’s Lodge, resulting in an exchange of gunfire between them and the Police.”

It was gathered that the Bori Police Division took away the body of the innocent victim who was caught by a bullet as the shooting continued.

As the situation was still dicey, reports came that Eleme LG headquarters was set ablaze and the newly completed building destroyed by fire.

Before the smoke would go down, reports came with evidence of billowing smoke at Isiokpo, Ikwerre LGA headquarters also set ablaze.

In Emohua LGA, it was gathered that a group of leaders believed to be loyal to the FCT Minister had occupied the secretariat, but no violence was reported.

In Obio/Akpor (half of Port Harcourt), the secretariat at Rumudumanya after Rumuokoro on the Airport Road was occupied by Sim Fubara loyalists but at the time of filing this report, shooting began at the back of the secretariats.

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Video clips showed bullet holes at the back of the building, and soon, people started scampering away in safety as bullets began flying.

The Inspector General of Police who had been accused by Gov Fubara of openly taking sides with the FCT Minister announced the immediate withdrawal of police squads at the secretariats. The police said they would however return if there arose violence in those places.

Many suspected the order saying it appeared like a signal for war. Next, the secretariats began to come under attack one after the other, especially in places where the opponents of the election seemed to have the upper hand.