Gunshots as aggrieved youths besiege Rivers Speaker’s residence

There was pandemonium on Tuesday in Port Harcourt as many youths who attempted to invade the Port Harcourt residence of the Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martins Amaehwule, sustained varying degrees of injuries while several others were arrested by the police.

The youths were said to be protesting the planned impeachment of the state Governor, Similanayi Fubara, by Amaehwule-led House of Assembly.

On Monday, the suspended majority leader of the House, Hon Edison Ehie, declared himself as the Speaker of the House claiming that 26 of his colleagues elected him as the new Speaker after a plenary held in Government House, Port Harcourt.

It was gathered that the protesting youths attempted to break the gate of the Speaker in order to gain entrance into the residence but were resisted by security operatives guiding the Speaker’s residence.

The youths were demanding Amaewhule’s eviction from the apartment, claiming that he was no longer the House Speaker.

‘Media not gender sensitive to women in appointive positions’

16 killed as Boko Haram raids Yobe community  

The protesting youths were said to have ignored the resistance of the operatives and made more attempts to access the building before the operatives shot into the air to disperse them. Many were injured while over 100 were reportedly arrested

One of the protesters, who sustained bullet injuries, was bleeding profusely and was rushed to a hospital for treatment.

A member of the Ijaw Youths Council, who simply gave his name as Thankgod, condemned the arrest, saying, “We did not touch his (Amaewhule) gate. We were just at a peaceful protest over what took place at the State House of Assembly.

“You know that some members (lawmakers) said they have signed a notice of impeachment on the governor, and we said it is illegal. It was a peaceful protest. You can see we are not armed,” he stated.

The spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, had earlier posted a video of some youths trying to pull down the entrance gate of the Speaker’s Port Harcourt residence on the Police Media WhatsApp plateform.