By Davies Iheamnachor

PORT HARCOURT—NO fewer than 15 communities in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, stormed the city in protest against alleged forceful eviction notice by the state government. The state government had issued a 7-day ultimatum to residents of Agwu, Elechi Phase I, Elechi Phase II, Urualla, Ojike, Afikpo/Awkuzu, Nanka, Akokwa, Egede, Soku, Timber, Echue, Obiodanso and Anozie waterfronts in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of the state to vacate their homes.

The government said the areas had been marked for demolition, adding that the waterfronts had become hideouts for criminals in the state. It will be recalled that the governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, had of recent supervised the demolition of houses owned by suspected cultists in Rumuolumeni community and Eagle Island.

During the protest, the residents of the affected areas, who explained that the waterfronts were not occupied by criminals, said that the government was taking advantage of their poor state. Speaking, Mr. Bello Max-Egba said that the residents of the areas were being threatened by the government, stressing that the eviction would lead to a more hopeless living condition for the affected people.

Max-Egba called on the state government to reconsider its plan and allow the people to live peacefully in their communities. He said that the eviction would expose them to more hardship, as over 60, 000 people losing accommodation in the city would send a wrong signal about the state government.

Meanwhile, five civil society group,  Justice and Empowerment Initiatives, Social Action, Nigerian Slum/Information Settlement Federation, Stakeholders Democracy Network and Collaborative Media Advocacy Platform, have condemned the planned eviction of the people of the affected areas by the state government.

In a statement, the five groups said the planned action of the state government was unlawful and callous. Speaking, the leader of CMAP, Mr. Michael Uwemedimo, called on the state government to reconsider its decision of demolishing the communities without adequate notice.