Tensions in Rivers State have escalated as suspected hoodlums set ablaze a section of the Eleme Local Government Area secretariat. This shocking act of arson unfolded just as newly elected Chairman, Brain Gokpa, arrived at the secretariat accompanied by councillors and supporters, only to find portions of the building engulfed in flames.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the state, with allegations swirling around the involvement of political heavyweights. A video shared on social media captured the chaos at the scene, with one man accusing former Rivers State Governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of orchestrating the attack.
Wike, a central figure in Rivers State politics, has been embroiled in ongoing tensions with the current administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The rivalry has spurred a series of conflicts, with the Eleme incident marking the latest escalation. Although no official evidence links Wike to the attack, the allegations have fueled fears of further unrest.
The violence comes in the wake of rising tensions across several local government areas (LGAs) in the state, particularly Ahoada East, the home LGA of Edison Ehie, Chief of Staff to Governor Fubara. Concerns over an outbreak of violence have been heightened since the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered the lifting of the three-month police ban on Rivers LGA secretariats earlier this week.
The secretariats had been sealed in June following a fierce power struggle between Caretaker Committee Chairmen loyal to Governor Fubara and former local government chairmen aligned with Wike. The newly deployed Commissioner of Police, CP Bala Mustapha, acting on IGP Egbetokun’s directive, ordered the withdrawal of all police personnel from the secretariats, paving the way for the reopening of the facilities.
However, the withdrawal of police presence has now left the secretariats vulnerable, with Eleme LGA becoming the first to fall victim to suspected political violence. The attack has heightened concerns of further unrest as political factions in Rivers State continue to clash.
Authorities are urging residents to remain calm, but the fear of retaliatory violence looms large as the state's political temperature rises. The Rivers State Police Command has yet to issue an official statement on the incident, but security is expected to be tightened around vulnerable areas in the coming days.
