…as LG crisis turns bloody, sporadic gunshots fired at protesters
. Policeman, vigilance operative killed in shootout
. Armed youths chase away council chairman from Secretariat, block others, destroy Wike’s statue
… after Fubara ordered HOLGAs to take over LGAs running from ex-council chairmen
. Gov convenes emergency security meeting, warns former LG bosses against returning to offices
. Vows ‘anyone attempting to arrest my supporters’ll confront me directly’
Wilfred Alabo-Jack, PortHarcourt
The crisis in Rivers State over the expiration of the tenure of Local Government Council chairmen, on Tuesday, took a violent dimension as a policeman and an operative of a vigilance group were reportedly killed.
Though circumstances surrounding the incident had yet to be ascertained, the victims were said to have been killed at Omuma Local Government Area of the state.
It was learnt that security personnel guarding the council secretariat had allegedly vowed to resist supporters of Governor Siminalayi Fubara from gaining access to the premises.
An argument was said to have ensued between police personnel on opposing sides, culminating in sporadic shooting, which led to the officer’s death.
A different source in the area, however, claimed that a policemen attached to a politician in the area had first shot a vigilante member who was among the Pro-Fubara protesters and that his men (vigilante members) retaliated and shot a police man.
But another source claimed that it was the vigilante members that had earlier shot the policeman before the angry security men attached to a pro-Wike politician fired back and killed the local security member.
State Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident.
She said investigations were ongoing to apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice.
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