As the crisis over the tenure of the outgoing local government chairmen in Rivers State continues, there were sporadic gunshots at the Port Harcourt City Council on Tuesday morning.
It was gathered that policemen fired severely into the air
to scare away scores of Ijaw youths who came to demonstrate at the Council’s
Secretariat against the tenure elongation.
One of the protesters, who refused to mention his name for
fear of being identified, said they were at the Secretariat to carry out a
peaceful demonstration against the immediate past local government council
chairmen, Allwell Ihunda, who they claimed had vowed not to vacate office
despite the expiration of his tenure on June 17.
He, however, alleged that policemen started shooting in
their direction as soon as they sighted the youths.
He said, “We are Ijaw youths and are here on a peaceful
demonstration against those whose tenure has expired but refused to vacate
their office.
“We are not here to make trouble. We were just on a peaceful
demonstration, but surprisingly the police started shooting at us. ”
Speaking, one of the leaders of Port Harcourt City youths,
identified as Ichemanti, alleged that one of the protesting youths was shot at
by the police.
The situation had heightened tension in the metropolis as
the gunshots could be heard far away.
The Port Harcourt City Council is located near the State
Police Command and the State House of Assembly complex, which was bombed by
suspected arsonists in the heat of the political crisis in the state last year.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the State Police
Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she was informed of reports of gunshots in the
area but said it was not from the police.
Iringe-Koko said, “It is not the police that are shooting.
Our men have been deployed already to identify and apprehend those disturbing
the peace.
“As I speak to you now, the Commissioner of Police and the
Deputy Commissioner of Police are on patrol. Policemen that have been deployed
there and they are visible.
“We will ensure nobody takes the laws into their hands under
our watch. The CP on Monday said the police is ready to do its job, and that is
what we are doing.”
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