Rivers: Gunshot As Youths Reportedly Attack Council Chair Who Vowed To Remain In Office

Men of the Rivers State Police Command on Tuesday shot periodically to scare away scores of youths who stormed the Secretariat of Port Harcourt City Council to protest.

According to reports, the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, Allwell Ihunda, escaped death narrowly as the protesting youths chased him along Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Recall that Ihunda, who is the outgoing Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, has vowed not to vacate his office after the expiration of his tenure.

He was said to be on his way to the council secretariat with some aides and security details when the incident occurred.

It was gathered that he had alighted from his vehicle and tried to make his way into the council but met a group of youths who occupied the entrance.

READ: Tension In Rivers As Youths Storm Rivers LG Secretariats, Ask Chairmen To Vacate Office

Almost immediately, the youth started shouting, chasing him, the youths tried to get hold of Ibunda, who raced towards his car.

Meanwhile, the youths said they were at the secretariat to carry out a peaceful demonstration against the immediate past local government council chairmen whom they claimed have refused to vacate office after the expiration of their tenure.

A spokesperson of the group said immediately after the police sighted them, they started shooting at them.

“We are Ijaw youths; we are here on a peaceful demonstration against those whose tenure have expired but said they will not vacate their office. We are not here to make trouble but we were on a peaceful demonstration but the police started shooting at us,” he said.

The leader of Port Harcourt City youths, who also came to demonstrate at the Secretariat, Allwell Ichemanti, said one of the youths was shot by the police.

He accused the immediate past Chairman of the Council of inviting the police to attack them.

The deafening gunshots caused pandemonium along the stretch of the council Secretariat adjacent to both the state police command headquarters and Rivers State House of Assembly as residents and passersby scampered for safety.