Rivers people may be forced to take matters into their hands, Ann Briggs warns

Ann-Kio Briggs, a prominent Niger Delta activist, has warned that the people of Rivers State may be compelled to take matters into their own hands if they are not protected.

Briggs spoke on Channels TV programme, Politics, following the violence that erupted in the oil-rich state after last Saturday’s local council polls.

According to Briggs, the disturbance is the result of some outgoing local government leaders not accepting that their terms ended three months ago.

“The specific LGs Eleme, Ikwerre, and Emohua that are on fire are the specific LGs that have refused to accept that their tenures have been over for 3 months. The leaders of these LGs are the ones that have called the governor all sorts of names.”

She spoke against the role of the police in the violence, saying the newly-elected council officials were exposed to attacks following the police withdrawal of security from the 23 local government areas.

“This morning, all of them were ordered to leave the local government areas, knowing fully well that there was going to be trouble, leaving the duly elected local government chairman to the dangers that is playing out on our television screens since morning in Rivers State.

“The police is supposed to keep the state and the property of the state government safe. And now that we are left naked by the whims of the police, we are being called upon to take responsibility for the fire that they have said that is raging in Rivers State. This is dangerous and it’s unacceptable to the people of Rivers State.

“If nobody is going to defend us, we are very likely going to be left to defend ourselves,” Briggs stated.

However, President Bola Tinubu has called on the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara and other political actors to exercise restraint and maintain peace in the state. The President has also directed the police to maintain security in all the 23 local government areas.