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No fewer than 1,000 residents of Rivers State have been rendered homeless, following the demolition of houses in over nine waterfronts by the state government.

The affected areas include waterfronts in Abba, Elechi, Nnanka, Uruala, Affikpo, Ojike, Akuzu, Egede, Soku, streets in Diobu area of Port Harcourt City Local Government.

The state government had notified the residents of the waterfronts on its plans to demolish the areas, citing sale of illegally refined petroleum products as reason for the demolition.

Eight days later, the state government stormed the area with two bulldozers and fully armed security operatives to implement the order.

As at the time of this report the areas mentioned have been fully razed down with residents left seeking shelter in people’s verandas and corridors.

One of the leaders of Nnanka waterfront, Napoleon Amoni, regretted that the government did not give them enough time to seek alternative, adding that they were stranded.

Amoni said: “The thing is painful. We got notice that we should vacate this place. The next thing we saw was the bulldozers. We are stranded. “If you check the streets you will see that people are stranded. There is no house to live in. We are sleeping on the streets on the road.

“Government demolished our houses without giving us alternative. We are begging the governor to give us attention.”

Meanwhile, the Diobu Chiefs and Elders Forum has condemned the demolition of buildings at the Illuoabuchi waterfront by the state government.

The chairman of the forum, Gift Otonnah, in a statement in Port Harcourt yesterday described the demolition and displacement of the residents as wicked and direct attack on the non-indigenes in Diobu.

Otonnah said: “This speaks volume of the insensitivity of the perpetrators on the poor masses. The Diobu Chiefs and Elder want to state that Iloubuchi waterfront, like Ikokwu spare parts area is currently under demolition.

“Therefore, we want to alert Rivers people of a dangerous trend whereby the government in the state can wake up anytime and forcefully eject people from area perceived to be opposition stronghold.”