as police disperse Ikwerre council workers with teargas, scores injured, Rivers LG crisis thickens

On Monday, police officers used tear gas and gunshots to scatter local government employees who had congregated to begin work in Isiokpo, the administrative hub of the Ikwerre Local Government Area (LGA) in Rivers State. After months of closure, the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) ordered employees to return to the council’s facilities, which led to the unanticipated altercation…. CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶️▶️

Reports indicate that numerous police patrol vans stormed the Ikwerre council secretariat “commando style,” discharging rounds of gunfire and launching teargas to forcefully clear the premises. Witnesses recounted the sudden eruption of violence, which threw workers into a panic, with many fleeing into nearby bushes or scrambling for cover to escape the scene. The incident reportedly left multiple workers injured, including two women who fainted while attempting to evade the unrest.

The tense standoff followed an earlier attack on the council offices by suspected political thugs after local elections. Ikwerre LGA, alongside two other councils in the state, suffered severe damage and was subsequently shut down to prevent further violence. The reopening of the council headquarters had been under strict surveillance, given the risk of renewed arson or property destruction.

An eyewitness, who preferred to remain anonymous for personal safety, described the distressing scene. “This morning, NULGE instructed members to resume work at Ikwerre LGA. But over 100 armed policemen arrived, and suddenly they started shooting and firing teargas everywhere. Workers, women—everyone was running. Two women slumped, and the police initially blocked any medical help from reaching them,” he said.

According to The PUNCH reports, An eyewitness told our reporter that scores of workers, including two women, were injured while trying to escape from the scene of the shooting, adding that many fled into nearby bushes for safety. “While we were there, we saw more than 100 policemen fully armed. And they started shooting and firing teargas everywhere, workers, women and everybody started running.”

Confirming the incident, the Chief of Staff for Ikwerre LGA, Richard Henry, expressed concern over the police’s actions, noting that some workers fled into nearby bushes to escape injury. He condemned the police operation, calling it unwarranted, as the matter of the arson was already under investigation by the Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry. “This was unnecessary. Our mothers and youths who were there got injured. The inquiry is still ongoing, yet the police teargassed everyone. We will not stand for this treatment,” he said.

In response, the Rivers State Police Command acknowledged its presence at the Ikwerre council premises but defended its actions, saying they were necessary to maintain law and order. Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the police command, noted that the Ikwerre secretariat had been ordered closed due to the severe damage it sustained from the earlier attacks. She explained that the police were summoned when a large group of over 300 individuals allegedly forced entry through the main gate, intending to either loot or cause further damage.

Iringe-Koko remarked, “The officers at the scene were there to maintain law and order. Some people tried to break into the council premises, and our men had to act swiftly to disperse them and prevent any damage to public property.”CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶️▶️