A section of the Eleme Local Government Council secretariat was set ablaze. According to former Ambassador Oji Ngofa, a native of Eleme, the newly elected chairman, Brain Gokpa, arrived at the secretariat with his councilors and supporters only to find part of the council buildings engulfed in flames.

Despite the fire, Gokpa and his team have vowed to assume control of the secretariat. Tensions also flared in Emohua, where unknown individuals barricaded the secretariat entrance, preventing the new chairman, David Omereju, from resuming office. In a circulating social media video, protesters chanted, “No Wike, No Rivers State!!”

No arrests have been made yet, and the police have not issued a statement, raising fears of potential violence in several councils across the state. The arson incident follows the recent Rivers Local Government Elections, dominated by the Action Peoples Party (APP).

Meanwhile, a disagreement erupted in Ahoada Local Government Area on Monday after the police unsealed the council secretariats under orders from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP). Reports indicate that police officers fired shots into the air to disperse individuals attempting to prevent the new chairman of Ahoada East LGA from taking office.

This unrest comes just days after the APP won 22 out of 23 LGAs in the election, with the Action Alliance (AA) securing only one.