The Rivers State Police Command has warned against the hijacking of a planned protest by the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) following the closure of 23 local government council secretariats in the state. The police advised NULGE to suspend its planned strike to avoid a breakdown of law and order, citing credible intelligence that the protest may be infiltrated by hoodlums seeking to cause disruption and mayhem.
The police statement, issued by spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko, recognized the right to lawful assembly but vowed to arrest and prosecute anyone attempting to cause a breach of the peace. The Command has deployed police officers to the secretariats of all 23 local government areas to ensure the safety and security of the public.
In a separate development, the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) Rivers chapter has alerted security agencies and the public to a sinister plot by former local government chairmen and former members of the state House of Assembly and National Assembly to cause anarchy and chaos in the state. ALGON Chairman Ichemati Ezebunwo warned that the planned protest was a calculated attempt to destabilize governance and create an excuse for a state of emergency in the state.
Ezebunwo emphasized that the planned protest was not in the interest of the local governments or the state, and that ALGON and its people supported the police decision to take control and protect all local government council secretariats. The police and ALGON have urged the public to be aware of the potential for violence and chaos, and to report any suspicious activities to the authorities.