No fewer than five people are feared dead following shootings that erupted at various local government area secretariats in Rivers State on Monday as newly sworn-in chairmen sought to assume office.
The Police had yet to issue an official statement, but Vanguard reported that many of the casualties are youths allegedly loyal to the state governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara.
According to the newspaper, as at Monday afternoon, five individuals had been killed across four local government areas, while three council secretariats, Eleme, Emohua, and Ikwerre, were set ablaze.
The violence reportedly broke out when the newly-elected local government chairmen, sworn in by the governor on Sunday, arrived at their respective council secretariats.
They encountered a group of youths opposed to their election, who claimed they were there to clean the premises for the former council chairmen, whose tenures had recently ended.
The situation escalated into shootings, resulting in numerous injuries from gunfire and the reported deaths of five individuals: one in Khana, three in Oyibo, and one in Ahoada-East.
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