News
Dakuku Peterside’s crocodile tears over destruction of waterfronts

Our attention has been drawn to the latest epistle by Dakuku Peterside titled: “Wike’s displacement of .1m Rivers people wicked, evil, inhuman – plans to convert waterfront to personal ownership”, and once again we are amazed by the kindergarten mischief and the usual spurious, illogical and unsubstantiated attention-seeking allegations, which have become the hallmarks of his less than edifying public posts.
We are even more amused by the concerted effort and deliberate intent with which Dakuku Peterside continues to draw attention to his obviously unfortunate loss of memory and dislocated bearing, less than six years after the administration he served in, left Rivers State reeling and in doldrums after they were roundly and comprehensively booted out in in 2015.
Dakuku’s latest bellyaching over the determined effort of the Rivers State Government to sanitise the waterfronts by removing all shanties and most especially, continue with its frontal and hugely successful war to rid Rivers State of dangerous criminals and undesirable elements who have transformed these Waterfronts into a den of thieves, flies in the face of rational analysis, especially by one who sees himself as a leadership expert.
Dakuku Peterside will not feign ignorance of the fact that the demolition of waterfronts to rid Rivers State of criminals did not start with Governor Nyesom Wike’s administration.
Infact, the Vanguard Newspaper, August 24, 2012, captured a particularly “wicked, evil and inhuman,” (to borrow Peterside’s choice of words), thus: “On Tuesday and Wednesday, June 26 and 27, 2012, the government of Rivers State mobilized some earth-moving equipment to Abonnema Wharf to demolish all houses and destroy property, thereby rendering a community of about 10,000 people homeless. Men, women, children were under heavy rain with their property.
“This act of the Rivers State Government is inhuman, oppressive, heartless, and an abuse of the right to shelter. Abonnema Wharf is one of the over 40 waterfronts communities scattered across Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State, which houses over 80 per cent of the city residents.
“The State Government has brandished the communities as nests of criminals that must be demolished. Governor Rotimi Amaechi claimed that the demolition is part of the urban renewal policy and also to check activities of criminally-minded individuals who use the water-fronts as operational bases.” Please note the date.
We are even at a loss to fathom how Dakuku Peterside could so quickly have forgotten that his APC govt not only demolished Abonnema Waterfront, but also Njemanze, Elechi Beach and Nanka waterfronts.
Dakuku Peterside even went ahead in his puerile epistle to state shamelessly that: “shelter was a right and fundamental to the welfare, survival and health of man and Governor Wike’s action against the waterfront residents is against all Universal Laws and Conventions on Human Rights and Habitation, including the United Nations Human Settlement Programme, UN-Habitat, United Nations Housing Rights Programme, UNHRP, the 1948 Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and Nigeria’s Policy on Housing”; as if these organizations and statutes did not exist in 2012 when his administration was destroying Abonnema Wharf waterfront and all the others.
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.
“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 having 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 Illoabuchi areas of Diobu from the second week of January 2022.”
Rivers people will recall even, that in August 2015, the Rivers State Government signed into law, the Anti-kidnapping bill, which was later amended in 2018, and from which the authority to move in and destroy everything that aids and promotes criminality in the State, including residences and hideouts, is derived.
Subsequently, 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.
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.
We must stress categorically here that Governor Wike is not one to play to the gallery or engage in deceitful, populist grandstading where important issues are concerned.
He has always believed firmly in the principle that whatever is worth doing at all in the interest and welfare of the people, is worth doing well and that is why he 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.
Governor Nyesom Wike is far bigger than what people like Dakuku Peterside will say and no amount of distraction by those who cry crocodile tears over the action to dislodge criminals from the state and have refused to remove the log in their own eyes for political reasons will deter or dissuade him from his avowed commitment to deliver quality, functional and result-oriented leadership and governance to Rivers people.
- Nsirim is Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications
News
Breaking: Tinubu declares state of emergency in Rivers State

Breaking: Tinubu declares state of emergency in Rivers State
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night declared a state of emergency in Rivers State following the protracted political crisis in the state.
Tinubu made the declaration during a nationwide broadcast, saying it is for six months.
He announced the suspension of the Executive Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy and all the members of the House of Assembly for six months.
He immediately named an administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Retd), to take charge of the affairs of the state for the six-month period.
Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution interprets a state of emergency as a situation of national danger or disaster in which a government suspends normal constitutional procedures to regain control.
A state of emergency allows the President to immediately make any desired regulations to secure public order and safety. (Channels TV)
News
BREAKING: Tinubu addresses Nigerians on Rivers political crisis

BREAKING: Tinubu addresses Nigerians on Rivers political crisis
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night will hold a nationwide broadcast to address the crisis in Rivers state.
Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, said the broadcast will be transmitted by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
The broadcast is expected to be held by 7pm today.
Video: President Tinubu has declared state on emergency on Rivers state effective immediately, suspends Governor Fubara, his deputy governor and house of assembly members for six months.
He also nominated an administrator pic.twitter.com/jD1g9FHOez— Nigeria Stories (@NigeriaStories) March 18, 2025
News
Tinubu holds emergency meeting with service chiefs

Tinubu holds emergency meeting with service chiefs
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday met with the service chiefs expectedly over the current security situation in the country.
The service chiefs were led by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, to the meeting at the Aso Villa in Abuja.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; and the Director General of the Department Of State Services, Oluwatosin Ajayi; were also present at the meeting.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and the Leader of the Majority, Opeyemi Bamidele, later joined the meeting held in the office of the President.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and his deputy, Ben Kalu, were also spotted at the meeting.
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