… police claim ignorance of such gunshots
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Rivers State continues to escalate as youths reportedly storm local government secretariats, as there were sporadic gunshots at the Port Harcourt City Council on Tuesday morning.
It was alleged that policemen fired several times into the air to scare away scores of Ijaw youths who came to demonstrate at the Council’s Secretariat against the tenure elongation.
One of the protesters, who refused to mention his name for fear of being identified, said they were at the Secretariat to carry out a peaceful demonstration against the immediate past local government council chairmen, Allwell Ihunda, who they claimed had vowed not to vacate office despite the expiration of his tenure on June 17.
He, however, alleged that policemen started shooting in their direction as soon as they sighted the youths.
He said, “We are Ijaw youths and are here on a peaceful demonstration against those whose tenure has expired but refused to vacate their office.
“We are not here to make trouble. We were just on a peaceful demonstration, but surprisingly the police started shooting at us. ”
Speaking, one of the leaders of Port Harcourt City youths, identified as Ichemanti, alleged that one of the protesting youths was shot at by the police.
The situation had heightened tension in the metropolis as the gunshots could be heard far away.
The Port Harcourt City Council is located near the State Police Command and the State House of Assembly complex, which was bombed by suspected arsonists in the heat of the political crisis in the state last year.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she was informed of reports of gunshots in the area but said it was not from the police.
Iringe-Koko said, “It is not the police that are shooting. Our men have been deployed already to identify and apprehend those disturbing the peace.
“As I speak to you now, the Commissioner of Police and the Deputy Commissioner of Police are on patrol. Policemen that have been deployed there and they are visible.
“We will ensure nobody takes the laws into their hands under our watch. The CP on Monday said the police is ready to do its job, and that is what we are doing.”