Police warn Rivers NULGE to cancel planned protests as it could be a possible kidnapping by gangsters

The Rivers State Police have issued a stern warning to the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) to suspend its planned protest against the closure of 23 local government secretariats, citing credible intelligence reports of possible impeachment by hoodlums.

In a statement issued by spokeswoman Grace Iringe-Koko in Port Harcourt on Sunday evening, the command warned that the protest could lead to a breakdown of law and order and vowed to arrest and prosecute anyone attempting to disturb the peace.

“While the command recognises and respects the right of lawful assembly, it has credible information that this protest may be infiltrated and hijacked by hoodlums bent on creating unrest and chaos in the state. Therefore, the command strongly advises the organisers to cancel the planned protest to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order,” Iringe-Koko said in the statement.

She also announced that police had deployed officers to secretariats in all 23 local government areas to ensure public safety.

“The Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Olatunji Disu, has deployed police officers to the secretariats of all 23 local government areas of the state. These officers will remain at their respective locations until the threat of disturbance of the peace is deemed to have passed,” the statement added.

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Meanwhile, the Rivers chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) 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 create anarchy and chaos with the ultimate aim of imposing a state of emergency in the state.

ALGON Chairman Ichemati Ezebunwo warned that the protests were not in the interest of local governments or the state, but rather a calculated attempt to portray the state in a bad light and unleash chaos.

“We draw the public’s attention to the planned protests by former local government chairmen, former members of the House of Representatives and the National Assembly loyal to the Minister of the National Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike. The protests are against the Nigeria Police Force occupying the 23 local government councils across the state,” Ezebunwo said.

“The planned protest is not in the interest of the local governments and the state as a whole. Rather, it is a calculated attempt by the enemies of our beloved state to paint the people of the state in a bad light, unleash chaos in the process and use this to further bolster their exaggerated call for the declaration of a state of emergency in our beloved state.”

Ezebunwo stressed that ALGON and the people of Rivers State support the decision of the police to take control and protect all local government council secretariats until further instructions are given on the matter.

“We strongly state that we, the members of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Rivers State Chapter, and our people support the decision of the police to take control and protect all local government secretariats until further instructions are given on the matter,” Ezebunwo said.

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