Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Tension engulfed the 22 local government councils of Rivers state today as the Caretaker Committee cleared by the Rivers House of Assembly and inaugurated by Governor Nyesom Wike last night attempted to takeover from their elected chairmen that were sacked by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt.

Our Correspondent reported that Police and security forces barricaded all councils to forestall breakdown of law and order in local government councils.

Police anti-terror squad

In Obio-Akpor council, Rumuodamaya, an Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC, and armed policemen were strategically stationed at the gate and all staff of the council were ordered out.

Bright Amaehule,the Chairman Caretaker Committee and team supporters of Grassroot Development Initiative,GDI, and members of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP,were disallowed from entering the council Secretariat.

Amaehule later addressed the supporters to leave the council Secretariat for the sake of peace and security.

“I just spoke to the Governor of the development and he assured that we should give the Commissioner of Police the benefit of doubt.But we are coming back to take over this place”, he boasted.

A section of Ikwerre road was blocked by enthusiastic PDP supporters causing heavy traffic gridlock that stretched up to about 2km.

There were sporadic gunshots at the Emohua Secretariat leading to a fatal accident and burning of a taxi cab. Armed Policemen took over the Secretariat.

Police also barricaded the Secretariat of Port Harcourt City council.

At the Buguma Secretariat of Asari-Toru the Caretaker committee,Staff and others doing business in secretariat were not allowed in by security agents.

The State Commissioner of Police,Chris Ezike, had warned that the command would deal decisively with anybody who tried to cause a breach of the peace in the state over the nullification of election that brought only All Progressives Congress, APC,council chairmen and councillors by a Federal High Court,presided over by Justice Lambo Akanbi.

The APC has rejected the judgement hinging its argument on the fact that the National Industrial Court in Yenagoa had earlier given an injunction to the Rivers State Governor Wike,the House of Assembly from the dissolution of council.

The judgment has also elicited diverse opinions from lawyers.

Ken Atsewete, a human right activist has said the nullification of the council by the court was a sound one and a law that must be obeyed first by the affected council Chairmen and proceeded on Appeal Court if not satisfied rather seek self help that would lead to anarchy in the state.

Charles Aholu, another lawyer totally disagreed. He said the sacked councillors had raised the issue of bias against the Justice Akanbi, yet the judge refused to hand off the case.He advised law enforcement agencies to takeover the councils to prevent breakdown of law and order.

Meanwhile, Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON,has said it would go to appeal Court to challenge the judgment.

Sogbeye Eli,ALGON legal Adviser and chairman of Degema local Government said the judgment of the federal high Court would not stand.