Waterfronts Demolition: Echoes From Abonnema Wharf

On Wednesday, June 27, 2012, members of the Abonnema Wharf Waterfront community in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, were rudely awakened from deep slumber   to the frightening presence of stern-looking soldiers and mobile policemen who, in a commando-  style operation, evicted them  forcefully from their residences. The security operatives began the demolition of over 300 houses on the orders of the Rivers State Government.

Abonnema Wharf Waterfront is one of the  over 30 waterfronts  dotting across Port Harcourt and its environs that had been marked for demolition by the state government. The government believes that demolition of slums, where over 60 percent of Port Harcourt residents reside, was not only part of Governor Amaechi’s urban renewal policy, but a move to check activities of criminally-minded persons who use the waterfronts as operational bases.

Government claims that waterfronts in Port Harcourt have become depots for arms and ammunition. Because of the notoriety of the slums, so many criminal activities are not reported to the police and other security agencies. Some residents of the area have gone dangerously far to install observatory points where security agents are monitored.

Investigations by The Tide reveal that last Wednesday’s demolition exercise took residents of the area  unawares. Neither notices were issued nor were alternative accommodation provided for them.

The Tide also gathered that compensation payments were being made before the demolition exercise, but many property owners claim they have not received any.

A statement by the Rivers State Urban Development  Commissioner, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, says the government would have waited a few days more before the demolition exercise since the landlords were still being paid compensation. He said the process was,  however, hastened  because of sporadic gunshots and threats to safety of lives and property in the area.

“I was in Abuja on Monday when I got reports that cult  boys were shooting sporadically at Abonnema Wharf Waterfront. The shooting continued on Tuesday night till Wednesday morning which made the bulldozers move in.

“No government will allow the lawlessness at the Abonnema Waterfront to continue. The cult boys took laws into their hands but were curtailed by security personnel. The area will be completely demolished for the cult boys not to be able to regroup”,  Danagogo says.

However, in a quick reaction, a legal practitioner, who spoke with The Tide but opted to be identified by his first name, Saturday, condemned the action of the government and described it as a violation of the rights of the residents. The legal practitioner argued that the government should not have embarked on the demolition after assurances to the property owners that it would not go ahead with its planned action until all compensations and entitlements were paid.

Saturday also asserted that the  invasion and destruction of the homes, property and businesses of residents of the community without the due process of law was callous, illegal, unjust and an affront  to constitutional governance. According to him, the action of government was subjudiue since, according to him, the matter was in court and there is a restraining order made by the court on the Rivers State Government.

“This government ought to consider that it is a product of the rule of law and ought to weigh every action it takes on a legal scale. A High Court in Port Harcourt had already   issued an injunction restraining the state government from proceeding with action on the matter, in a suit filed by the Social and Economic Rights Action Centre, SERAC. Yet, the government went ahead. What signal is it giving to individuals and institutions? Is the demolition of an entire community the answer to the question of insecurity?” Saturday inquired.

A former Abonnema Wharf Waterfront resident, Mr Inemo Joshua, narrated his ordeal to The Tide. Joshua said he was at home when the demolition team arrived on June 27, 2012, about 6am. With any one, according to him, not understanding what exactly was going on, bulldozers began to tear down homes and other structures while residents that were rudely awakened by the exercise fled in consternation. He added that those who wanted to salvage their property were brutally beaten up by the demolition team, which carried out the assignment till 7pm.

“Nobody told us that the waterfront would be demolished so soon. They just came like that and started destroying people’s houses. They did not allow us to carry anything. Like me, I didn’t remove anything because they started at my area.  What I did was to run to the church where I am currently taking shelter.

“I believe that some persons died because the structures were just falling on people who were still sleeping. Wetin the government do dey bad. Make una tell them make them find place for us,” Joshua pleaded.

Another resident of the waterfront, Mr Ammonia Opuwari, asked what the government had done  with Njemanze Waterfront which it demolished about three years ago. He claimed that the area still lay fallow and unutilised. For him, the action of the state government was indefensible and described it as an unbridled quest to acquire land for private investors.

“Why has Njemanze Waterfront not been developed till now and now we are talking about the demolition of Abonnema Waterfront? I tell you, people lost so many things. Let the government consider a resettlement programme as well as compensation for the victims”, he stated.

But to another former resident of the community, Obomate Harry, the demolition was desirable as the area was no longer safe for habitation. According to her, oil bunkery activities of the hoodlums who resided there had degraded the environment.

“Governor Amaechi did well by demolishing Abonnema Wharf Waterfront. We are fed up with the place. Lives and property are no longer safe,” Harry declared.

Nnoyerem Nwadike also declared support for the government’s action. Though she was affected, she was uncomfortable living in the place as crimes such as theft, rape and assault were daily occurrences there. She, however, called on the government  to alleviate the plight of the displaced persons.

Since 2009, the state government has embarked on the demolition of waterfronts considered to be security threats to the state. The government started with the demolition of  Njemanze Waterfront known for cultism and other vices. The government later demolished Bundu Ama community, another waterfront, dominated by the Ijaw speaking people. However, the exercise was inconclusive as the residents went to court to challenge the action at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt. The court in 2010 upheld the action of the state government, hence, giving legal backing to the demolition exercise.

With the demolition exercise of Abonnema Wharf Waterfront accomplished, the question on many lips in Rivers State is, what will be the fate of the thousands of residents that once lived there?

Arnold Alalibo