Police, flood victims clash during protest in Rivers

Officers of the Rivers State Police Command have disrupted a peaceful protest embarked upon by victims of flood in Orashi area of the state.

We reports that the protesters, who began the match at Isaac Boro Park, were stopped by armed Policemen by the traffic light at UTC Junction in Port Harcourt.
The protesters said they were relocating to Government House Port Harcourt since the Governor has refused to visit Orashi since the flood incident occurred.

Some of the Protesters, who spoke with newsmen, said they have been neglected by the Rivers State Government.
Leaders of some civil society organizations including Isaac Greene, John Ihua and others criticized the police for disrupting a peaceful protest.
According to Greene, “For more than two months the people of Orashi region in this Rivers state have been suffering from flooding.

“They are almost going in to extinction because the Government of Nyesom Wike has neglected them. The most annoying part is that the Governor has decided to turn a deaf ear to the plight of the people. He pretends as if he is not aware of the problem of Orashi people.
“How can a Governor who traveled all the way to Makurdi to dole out N200m to members of the IDP not see the reason to support his own people?”
About ten trucks with armed men and an armoured personnel carrier was deployed to the scene of the Protest.
No official of Rivers State government had responded to the protesters at the time of filing this report.