Governor Rotimi Amaechi has appealed for calm over the protest that attended the attempt to take action in the demolition of the water fronts when yesterday some residents of Bundu Waterside barricaded the way to their area which resulted in a shoot out.
Conflicting reports have it that some people were injured in the face off which prompted Amaechi to plead that residents of the state should not do anything that will jeopardize the prevalent peace in the State.
Leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante Movement, Mr. Tom Ateke had threatened to fight a war with the Ikwerres in the state in the event that the governor goes ahead with the threat to demolish the waterfronts.
THISDAY learnt that when the consultants engaged by Amaechi went to do enumeration of houses at Bundu Waterfront preparatory to its demolition, residents of the area trooped out half naked and blocked the road.
The policemen who went with them were alleged to have called for reinforcement while firing warning shots. When the Joint Task Force allegedly arrived, more shots were fired which caused a stampede leading to many being injured.
While some residents claimed that four people were killed by stray bullets, it could not be confirmed though at least nine people were admitted for various degree of injuries from the incident, most of them, bullet wounds.
A statement from the Acting Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Blessing Wikina, advised the people not to be stumbling blocks to their own development as the waterfront was not a fit and proper place for people to live.
He said the intention of government was to build a befitting habitable place for the people and warned those he called miscreants who had been benefitting from the structure of the slum to stop interfering in the government programme.
“Government is enumerating the structures at Bundu waterfront, identifying their genuine owners, and that is why those who are in no way affected by the exercise prefer causing panic.
“As a government, we are committed to guaranteeing the right of every Rivers State person to a decent habitable condition”, said.
The Governor had at various fora insisted that it will take only God and the Courts to stop him from demolishing the waterfronts, insisting that it was a haven for criminals which cannot exist alongside normal society.
Oct132009