The police have taken over the 23 council secretariats and some critical government infrastructure in Rivers State.

The police said the action was to forestall further bloodbath and breakdown of law and order due to the increasing crisis over the tenure of the outgoing local government chairmen.

Spokesperson of the command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, who spoke in a statement in Port Harcourt, said that a police officer and a vigilante lost their lives during a clash between the two rival political groups.

She stated, “Operatives have been deployed to uphold peace in the 23 Local Government Areas. The clash between the two political factions, sparked by disagreement over the chairmen’s tenures, resulted in the deaths of a police officer and a vigilante in the Eberi-Omuma community. Consequently, the police have taken over the 23 council secretariats and some critical government facilities to forestall further unrest and breakdown of law and order. To ensure order, the command has also deployed anti-riot police officers to the various council headquarters.’’

The police spokesperson cautioned partisan groups against defying the law and reassured residents of the command’s management of the situation in the LGAs headquarters.

(NAN)