Two people were shot in Igwuruta community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, after a group of youths allegedly loyal to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, took to the streets on Saturday to enforce a court order.
The order had stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission from releasing the 2023 voters register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
The incident happened on the morning of the local government election in Rivers State. While residents were waiting for electoral materials to arrive, the youths, said to be Wike’s loyalists, began chasing people back to their homes, declaring that the election would not hold in the area.
Obinna Ekem, the leader of the group, who is also a member of the People’s Democratic Party in Igwuruta, explained that they were ensuring compliance with a Federal High Court ruling that barred RSIEC from conducting the election.
“We came out as members of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to ensure that no illegal activities took place in our ward, Ward 12, Igwuruta, Ikwerre LGA,” said Ekem. “We were following the court judgment delivered by Justice Lifu on September 30.”
Ekem also accused security personnel attached to a federal lawmaker, Boniface Emerengwa, of opening fire on them. “As we were addressing people, Barrister Emerengwa and others led police officers and thugs to attack us. They shot several persons, and many are now receiving treatment in hospitals.”
The situation was eventually brought under control by the Divisional Police Officer of Igwuruta, who quickly mobilized officers to the scene. Calm was restored, but the election did not take place in Igwuruta or the nearby community of Omuagwa.
