Port Harcourt — Hundreds of youths in Rivers State on Tuesday took to the streets in support of the State Police Command for occupying the 23 local government secretariats in the state.
Local government secretariats in the State have been occupied by police personnel for about a week, following the activities of some youths protesting the refusal of the council chairmen to vacate office upon expiration of their tenures.
The youths led by the National Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN) Rivers state chapter, under the leadership of Nwisabari Bani, said the barricading of the secretariats by the police has prevented hoodlums from vandalising the facilities.
Speaking during the solidarity march to the Police Command Headquarters, on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, Bani urged the police to remain in the local government secretariats pending the decision of the Appeal Court the state political matters before it.
"I want to say that the Nigerian youths and Rivers youths are grateful for you coming to takeover our secretariats thereby stopping invaders.
"Before the arrival of your men through your deployment some few local governments have been invaded by the people loyal to Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara.
"We were very happy when we heard him that he is discharging and giving responsibilities to the Heads of Local Government Administrations to takeover pending the determination of the various court cases and court orders before the courts. But to our dismay on the 17th of this month, people were given funds meant for development to go and sit and takeover our local governments with arms.
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"We are saying this because we want to thank the Nigerian Police Force for preventing this hoodlums from taking over our secretariats and looting them and we are saying to the Inspector General of Police that the current leadership of the Command in Rivers State is discharging their responsibilities without bias to party A or party B and we are calling on the IGP to at this point, give all the needed support to this Command," he stated.
While calling on the police not to vacate the secretariats, Bani urged the IG, Kayode Egbetokun to give the Command the needed support to restore peace in the council secretariats in the state.
In his response, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police , Olatunji Disu, said the state is important to the economy of Nigeria and so will not allow any breakdown of law and order.
He emphasised that the police would continue to discharge their professional duty in the state in line with the law.
"Our duty as a Command is to protect lives and properties and I give you my words that we are going to continue to do that. We are not politicians and we will do our best to remain apolitical. I thank you so much for all you have done and the support you have given us and I assure you that we will continue to do our jobs in maintaining law and order.
"Rivers State is a very important state to the economy of our dear nation Nigeria and there must not be breakdown of law and order and we have taken note of all you have said here and we'll continue to do our job," Disu said.
