By Divine Sam
Ann-Kio Briggs, a prominent environmentalist and human rights activist from Rivers State, has criticized the Nigeria Police Force for its handling of security in the region. In a recent appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Briggs expressed that the local population may need to take matters into their own hands if they feel unprotected.
Briggs accused the police of selectively obeying court orders following the elections of 23 local government chairmen, pointing out that the police had previously locked the local government offices and had now withdrawn officers despite warnings from Governor Siminalayi Fubara about potential violence from disgruntled political actors.
“If nobody is going to defend us, we are likely going to have to defend ourselves,” she asserted, highlighting the ongoing unrest since last October. She noted that the unrest is concentrated in specific local governments that have resisted acknowledging the end of their tenures.
Briggs criticized the police’s decision to withdraw security at a time when newly elected officials could be at risk, emphasizing the need for urgent intervention from President Bola Tinubu, whom she claims has remained distant from the situation.