Hours after the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, withdrew police officers stationed at 23 local council secretariats in Rivers State, suspected arsonists struck, setting three council secretariats on fire.
The affected councils—Emohua, Eleme, and Ikwerre Local Government Areas—were engulfed in flames amid the escalating tension following recent local government elections in the state.
The attacks occurred just two days after the Action Peoples Party (APP) swept 22 out of the 23 LGAs in the elections held over the weekend.
The election, conducted by Governor Simi Fubara under the APP platform, came after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure in the state was handed over to the former governor, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Witnesses reported that the secretariats were invaded by armed thugs brandishing guns and launching explosives suspected to be dynamites.
These explosives ignited the fires that razed the buildings, leaving shattered windows and debris in their wake. Multiple video footage, obtained by our reporter, showed the council secretariats in ruins, with flames consuming the structures.
The political turmoil in Rivers State has been brewing for some time, with the rivalry between former Governor Wike and his successor, Governor Fubara, intensifying in recent months.
The feud between the two has splintered political alliances and led to a breakdown of governance in the state. The tension reached a boiling point following the handover of the PDP structure to Wike and the subsequent local government election conducted by Governor Fubara.
Observers have linked the arson attacks to the volatile political atmosphere in the oil-rich state, where the battle for control between Wike and Fubara continues to disrupt order.
The withdrawal of police personnel by IGP Egbetokun, coupled with the outcome of the recent elections, has only heightened tensions.
Rivers State remains on edge as both factions jostle for influence, while the burning of council secretariats raises concerns over the safety of public infrastructure amid the ongoing political crisis.
The political face-off between Wike and Fubara has already resulted in violent skirmishes, and these latest incidents suggest that the crisis is far from over.
With the state’s governance at a standstill, the public awaits further developments as efforts to restore order and stability in Rivers State intensify.
