Amaechi Okonkwo – Port Harcourt
Several parts of Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, Friday woke up to its version of protests against scarcity of cash in the state with hoodlums blocking parts of the roads in the state capital as early as 8:00 am.
The Hoodlums temporarily blocked the Ikwerre Road area of Mile 3 and Mile 2 Diobu to protest the scarcity of money caused by the ongoing shoddy implementation of the naira swap policy.
An eye witness who gave his name simply as Victor reported that there was pandemonium early morning in the affected areas as angry youths chased people, robbed them, and made burnfire of used tyres on the highway.
He said that he was forced to take a detour to his school, Rivers University when he noticed that people were running away from the Mile 3 axis where the school’s main gate is located.
Our correspondent also learned that the protest which degenerated into a riot reportedly spread to Emenike Street, Okija forcing drivers to abandon their vehicles on the road and fled to safety.
The hoodlums capitalised on the ensuing pandamonium to rob motorists and pedestrians of their valuables including cash, smartphones, wallets and other personal belongings.
The protest was also said to have later spread to Aggrey road, Town area of Port Harcourt where some ATMs were destroyed.
The situation did not continue for a long time as the police immediately deployed patrol teams to affected areas and they did not waste time bringing the situation under control.
Speaking with journalists, another eyewitness who wanted his name hidden narrated his experience thus;
“At about 9 am, I was inside the house when my wife called me at Ikoku, I came out and saw people running, scampering for safety.
“Boys were chasing people, I don’t know who they are. Buses were running, all the cars were on the road, I saw a burning fire at Ikoku roundabout near the new Flyover.
“There was no Police presence. The only people I saw that were trying to put off the fire were the security men attached to Anglican Church in Ikoku because of the burial of Hon. Azuibike Nmerukini’s wife.
“Those boys were robing people, many people fell victim, they were robing people collecting handsets.
“They said they were protesting because of this money issue.They were shouting ‘you say Deygbam no dey here,You Say Deygbam no dey here’”.
Our correspondent learned two of the hoodlums were later arrested by the local vigilante group.
Miss Favour Harcourt who was robbed narrated her ordeal during the rampage.
“My name is Favour Harcourt during the protest a group of guys came to our driver when he was trying to reverse at Ikoku Junction, they swooped on him, broke his windscreen and started beating him up, on my way to come down of the vehicle one of the guys held me and stabbed my hand, dragged my phone and my wallet and ran.
“As he was going the Diobu Vigilante caught him and recovered my phone, they arrested him”.
Also speaking the Chief Security Officer of Nkpolu Oroworukwo Mile 3 Diobu attached to Diobu Vigilante said; “We received distress call concerning ongoing rampage by hoodlums at IKwerre, we swing into action and intercepted one Paul Saviour who claims to be a member of PLGA security watch who robbed one miss Favour Harcourt at Ikoku junction of her Android phone and wallet and recovered the items”.
In her reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO of the Rivers state police command, confirmed the incidents.
She however stated that tactical teams were on ground and had restored normalcy has been restored to the troubled areas.
“I even went out myself to see the situation,” she stated.
