Gunshots As Youths Protest At Rivers LG Secretariat

As the crisis over the tenure of the outgoing local government chairmen in Rivers State continues, there were sporadic gunshots at the Port Harcourt City Council on Tuesday morning.

It was gathered that policemen fired severely 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 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 promised not to vacate office regardless of the expiration of his tenure on June 17.

He, however, alleged that policemen began 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.