Over 1,000 residents and Landlords residing at Railway quarters old station road in Port Harcourt have called on Governor Nyesom Wike to intervene in the eviction notice serve on them by the Railway property cooperation for them to vacate before 20 days.
The protesters carried placard with inscriptions: ‘Governor Wike come to our rescue’; ‘We need adequate notice’; ‘We demand compensation’, ‘No demolition of properties without compensation’, amongst others.
Some of the protesters who spoke to our correspondent during their protest at the Government House, pleaded for more time and also demanded that they should be compensated.
Also speaking, the lawyer representing the residents and landlords, Higher King demanded that compensation should be paid since they have been collecting annual renewal from the affected residents.
Our correspondent reported that the protesters also submitted an appeal letter to the gate of Rivers State Government House.
ALSO READ Akeredolu Condemns Killing of Soldier, Abduction of Expatriate in Ondo
Recall that thousands of Elechi waterfront residents have been stranded, as Rivers State government demolished shanties and makeshift structures in the area. The stranded residents said they were taken aback by the early morning demolition following a 7-day eviction notice which elapsed on Wednesday, January 26, 2022.
Our correspondent who visited the scene of the demolition, reported that some of the affected residents who were scrambling to save their valuables from being destroyed, begged the government for more time to enable them relocate.
While other affected residents said they only heard that the government wanted to construct a giant drainage as well as tackle illegal oil bunkering in the waterfront, hence were shocked to see their houses pulled down by giant excavators.
One of the affected landlords who told our correspondent that property owners in the waterfront were yet to be compensated, added that they were yet to get confirmation that demolition was actually ordered by Governor Nyesom Wike.
Meanwhile, Commander Diobu Vigilante, Prince Amatari said his boys were on ground to control the situation as some boys are already looting people’s properties.