Emergency Rule Sparks Bloodshed: Fubara Allies Fight Back After Three Killed

These events occurred shortly after Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered the withdrawal of policemen stationed at the council premises. The crisis affected Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni councils, where rival political factions clashed, and further violence erupted in Emohua Local Government Area.

The crisis disrupted the planned resumption of the 23 newly elected local government chairmen and the swearing-in of 314 councillors, following a controversial local government election held on Saturday. Both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) rejected the election results, claiming no election was properly conducted.

Governor Fubara’s allies in the Action Peoples Party (APP) won 22 out of 23 chairmanship seats, with the APP also securing 314 of the 319 councillorship seats. Despite opposition, Fubara swore in the elected officials on Sunday at the Government House in Port Harcourt.

Amid the violence, newly deployed Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Bala Mustapha, justified the withdrawal of police from the secretariats as compliance with the IG’s directive to ensure neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic institutions. However, a few hours after the elected chairmen attempted to enter the secretariats, violence broke out, resulting in gunfire, protests, and the intervention of security forces.

In Ahoada East, gunshots erupted when the local chairman and councillors tried to access the secretariat, leading to the shooting death of the Chief of Staff’s brother. Protests spread to other areas, with violent confrontations between rival groups, the torching of council buildings, and clashes at Obio/Akpor council, where youths wielding weapons clashed during an inauguration ceremony.

The state’s political unrest, exacerbated by the fallout from the controversial election and the delayed tenure extension of former local government chairmen, has raised alarm among political stakeholders. Benjamin Ogbobula, Secretary of the Inter-State Party Advisory Council, condemned the violence and called for urgent security interventions to prevent further escalation. Despite the chaos, Ogbobula supported Governor Fubara’s decision to swear in the newly elected chairmen, insisting it was a legitimate move.

The situation in Rivers State remains tense as political factions continue to clash over the legitimacy of the council elections and the violent aftermath of the recent crisis.