There was pandemonium in Isiokpo, headquarters of the Ikwerre Local Government Area on Monday, as policemen dispersed workers with gunshots and teargas canisters.
The policemen were spotted in several patrol vans as they stormed the secretariat in a commando style, shooting sporadically to disperse workers who scampered for safety.
The incident prevented workers of the council from resuming work after such a directive was passed down from the National Union of Local Government Employees.
The Ikwerre Local Government Area was the worst affected during the attack on some councils in the state by suspected political thugs after the local government elections.
Since then the council and two others had been under lock and key to prevent a repeat of the arson and violence that greeted the reopening of the council headquarters by the police.
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.
The source who craved anonymity for fear of his life, said, “This morning, the National Union of Local Government Workers asked their members to resume work at the Ikwerre Local Government.
“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.
“As I speak now, two women slumped and the policemen are now allowing access to medical care.”
The Chief of Staff of Ikwerre LGA, Richard Henry, confirmed the incident, saying there may be some casualties because many of the workers ran into the bushes.
Henry stated, “They came to the premises and shot teargas everywhere and people were running helter-skelter.
“Our mothers and youths who were there are injured. We don’t know if there was any death because many people ran into the bush. The policemen came with a hot water tank and about 11 Hilux vans.”
While condemning the action of the policemen, he said the attack was unwarranted, as the matter of the burning of the councils was before the Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry.
“All of them were armed. Moreover, this matter is before the Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry and they came to teargas everybody which is not fair. We will resist them,” he said.
The police took responsibility for its presence at the Ikwerre council secretariat.
Spokesperson of the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a chat with our correspondent, said the Ikwerre LG secretariat was closed following the arson because it was one of the worst hit.
She stated, “It is not men in police uniform. They are police officers in the command who went there to maintain law and order.
“You know because of the local government that was burnt, a panel of inquiry was set up by the governor to look into the immediate and remote causes of the secretariats that were burnt and the sitting is ongoing.
“All the secretariats that were attacked are under lock and key, and this Ikwerre LGA is one with major damage.
“Now some mobs, over 300, damaged the gate and forced themselves into the secretariat, either to loot or further destroy properties. That was the reason the police were called upon.
“And in response, our men swiftly mobilised and went there to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order and restore peace by dispersing them, so that they don’t destroy any facility.”
(The PUNCH)