Renowned political economist and Labour Party chieftain, Pat Utomi, has raised an alarm over the conduct of Nigeria Police operatives in Rivers State, accusing the police of serving as "uniformed thugs of those in power."
In a social media post following his visit to Port Harcourt, Utomi expressed concern over the atmosphere in Rivers.
Utomi described his return to the city as a moment that confirmed "forebodings long feared."
According to him, the forces aligned with Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, have created an environment where the people feel both stressed and strangely unbothered, despite what he called "the smell of coming anarchy" hanging in the air.
"Wike and Fubara forces line up, the people felt stressed but strangely unperturbed; the smell of coming anarchy in the air mixed with the rains that came down sporadically, and the elders spoke softly about being captured and held hostage," he wrote on X.
Utomi's critique extended to the judiciary, which he accused of having "no shame" in their potential complicity in the erosion of democracy.
He warned that the judiciary might ultimately be blamed for what he sees as the decline of Nigerian governance.
He also lamented that some government officials appeared indifferent to the growing instability, likening their behaviour to "Nero fiddling as Rome burnt."
"The judiciary continued to feel no shame they may take the blame for the end of Nigerian history. Meanwhile, some went off on leave like Nero fiddling as Rome burnt," Utomi stated.
Utomi concluded his message with a stark reflection on the failure of leadership in Nigeria, referencing the song Cicero Park by Hot Chocolate: "Life is dying out... don't let it happen in your time."
He called on elders, professionals, and students to rise to the occasion before the "creeping" anarchy gains momentum, warning that those in power seem oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
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