Violence erupted at the home of Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker Martins Amaewhule on Tuesday as police officers repelled attacks from some youths of Ijaw descent.
The incident led to the injuries of most of the youths who invaded Amaewhule’s residence.
Amaewhule and twenty-four House of Assembly members had moved to impeach Siminalayi Fubara, the state governor, in rivalry.
The youths were initially observed occupying the building's entrance, but they later attempted to forcefully enter the compound by pulling down the gate.
Amb Ihunwo Chijioke, the chairman of the Nigeria Youth Council's Rivers State chapter, was seen spearheading the demonstration in a widely shared video, referring to Amaehule as a former speaker.
Chijioke had threatened that the youths would burn down the house if the Speaker failed to vacate the residence within two hours.He said: “Greatest Rivers youths, we are here because the former Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, has been impeached. We are here as Rivers youths to tell him to vacate his official residence because he has been impeached.
“If not we are going to destroy this building because it was built by Rivers State money. He has been suspended and he should go back to his house. We have a new speaker, Edison Ehie. I appeal to everybody to remain calm because they must leave.”
Confirming the development, the spokesman of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Bedford Benjamin, said the youths had no intention of attacking Amaewhule’s residence.
Bedford said: “We condemn in strong terms the sporadic shooting at peaceful protesters at the factional speaker’s residential area in Rivers state. One person is feared dead from the shooting, and many others sustained gun wounds and other degrees of injuries.
“We demand the unconditional release of the chairman of Rivers State Youth Council and the numerous Ijaw youths that are being arrested and detained unlawfully. Peaceful protests are backed by law, and anybody who is bent on usurping the will of the people will be resisted by the people.
