Rivers protest: G60 lawmakers decry use of dynamite, seek probe of action

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June 25, 2024

Rivers crisis

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The group of opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives known as the G60 has said that the use of dynamite explosives by protesters in Rivers State will end democracy if not stopped now.

The group regretted that despite calls by the police for suspension of the planned protest over the local government tenure elongation crisis in Rivers State, some persons defied the order to stage a protest.

Recall that the development resulted to the death of one person following the detonation of a dynamite explosive in front of Hotel Presidential, Aba Road, in the state.

Reaching, the G60 lawmakers in statement signed by their spokesperson, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, stated that the use of explosives by the protesters was an invitation to anarchy which must be averted.

The lawmakers called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Service, DSS to find out who financed the use of explosives at a protest and find out whether there are other explosives that have been planted in different corners in Rivers State.

They also called on the police to allow council workers to resume work and channel energy to arresting bomb bearing protesters.

The lawmakers said, “We wish to condemn in strong terms the idea of protesters moving about with explosives and more importantly these are supporters of a serving minister. We have already heard that one or two persons died because of the device exploded, this is very worrisome.

“The security agencies should use the energy they are using in sealing up local government headquarters to actually find out how explosives were moved into Rivers State.

“These were how Boko Haram and all the security issues we are dealing with in Nigeria started and we shouldn’t allow this explosion in a political protest.

” The thing we need to find out, is was this explosion meant for Governor Fubara or Government House or Rivers people? Why explosives.

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“These people are hell bent on bringing down the state, inflicting bloody harm on innocent citizens. And the police is more interested in sealing local government headquarters even when there’s no legal basis for that.

“President Bola Tinubu owes Nigerians a duty to direct the Inspector General of Police and DSS to find out who financed the use of explosives at a protest and find out whether there are other explosives that have been planted in different corners in Rivers State.

” If government doesn’t do this, we will hold government responsible if anything leads to breakdown of law and order in Rivers.

“Government should have arrested those local government chairmen who made an attempt to illegally seal the local government, including those calling for state of emergency, they may be working as a group.”