President Bola Tinubu and the Peoples Democratic Party governors on Tuesday intervened to stop the impeachment moves against Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The President conferred with the embattled governor and his predecessor, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, disclosed this shortly after the Nigeria Police Council met for the first time under the Tinubu administration.
Both Wike and Fubara had attended the meeting which was held at the State House.
However, photographs and videos capturing the moment were muffled by security operatives who threatened any media house that published them with eviction from the Presidential Villa.
Some cameramen confided in The PUNCH that while others were asked not to take photographs and videos of the two men, those who had done so before the directive were asked not to publish them.
This happened as the police arrested about 120 youths in Port Harcourt for protesting the moves to impeach the governor.
Sources said the youth had attempted to invade the official residence of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, in Port Harcourt, but they were repelled by the police, who dispersed them with gunshots.
The youth were demanding Amaewhule’s eviction, claiming that he was no longer the House Speaker.
The protesters had attempted to pull down the gates to the speaker’s residence while demanding his eviction from the building but the police quickly responded to the situation and arrested some of them.
It was gathered that a stray bullet hit one of the youth who bled profusely and was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
But a member of the Ijaw Youths Council, who simply gave his name as Thankgod, condemned the arrest, saying, “We did not touch his (Amaewhule’s) 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 had 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.”
Online videos showed the youth sitting on the ground at the premises of the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau in Port Harcourt.
Our correspondent gathered that among those arrested was the state Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Chijioke Ihunwo.
Ihunwo, before his later arrest said the youth would continue the occupation until they were sure that Fubara was secured.
He stated, “I want to condemn what happened in the state on Monday that a few persons want to cause a crisis in our state by wanting to impeach the governor of the state, Fubara.’’
When contacted, the spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Irnge-Koko said she would find out and get back to our correspondent.
But she had yet to do as of the time of filing this report on Tuesday evening.
Meanwhile, a senior police source confirmed the incident, saying, “Those arrested are about 200. One of them is the Chairman of NYCN, Chijioke Ihunwo.
“One was seriously injured. The ones arrested are in custody,” he stated.