Demolition is to get rid of criminals- RSG

From Ugochukwu Iwuchukwu

In the meantime, the Rivers State Government said the aim of the ongoing demolition exercise is to curtail the activities of criminals in the state.

The Commissioner for Information Rivers State, Paulinus Nsirim while reacting to Dakuku Peterside’s allegations said crime and criminality have been at very low rates in Rivers State since the demolition began.

He noted that residents are safer and more secure now since 2021 than in the previous years.

“With the cooperation of the security agencies, we identified and destroyed most of the shanties that hitherto served as safe havens and hideouts for criminals, who have now been dislodged and dislocated from the State has lost the space and capacity from which they could operate with ease.

“To consolidate on the gains of the dislodgement and dislocation exercises, and make the State even safer and more secure, we have decided to demolish all shanties and makeshift structures in identified crime hotspots in Port Harcourt Township and the Iloabuchi areas of Diobu from the second week of January 2022.”

Paulinus Nsirim further revealed that a robust and determined action plan has been deployed to destroy criminal hideouts, shanties and makeshift structures located in notoriously infiltrated areas along Elele to Ahoada expanse of the East-West Road, Onne, Eleme and other flashpoint areas.

He also accused Dr Dakuku Peterside of contradicting himself as the then APC government led by Chibuike Amaechi demolished waterfronts in Rivers State.

He said that the demolition of waterfronts did not start from Governor Wike but was done during past governments.

To set the records straight, Governor Nyesom Wike, in his New year 2022 message to Rivers People, stated clearly, amongst other far-reaching measures to curtail the activities of criminals in the state, that: “Indeed, there is no denying the fact that crime and criminality have been at very low rates in Rivers State and citizens felt safer and more secure in 2021 than the previous years.

”Of course, nobody accused the Governor at that time, of plans to convert these areas to personal ownership, but now that Government’s efforts have yielded tremendous success, to the point that even criminals were already coming to terms with the reality that Rivers State was too hot for them, the detractors have come up with another misleading slant and narrative to bad mouth the pragmatic, focused and unrelenting actions of Governor Wike in ridding the state of criminals and maintaining the sustainable peace and security which the state is enjoying presently” he said.

The Commissioner for Information in Rivers State Paulinus Nsirim also said that Governor Wike is not playing to the gallery or engaging in deceitful, populist grandstanding where important issues are concerned.

He noted that Governor Wike believed firmly in the principle that whatever is worth doing at all in the interest and welfare of the people, is worth doing well.

Nsirim added that Wike will go to great lengths and most times with admirable courage and fearlessness, no matter whose ox is gored, to ensure that the right thing is not only done but is seen to be done practically.