The remains of Obiabere Lodge PH, the alleged hideout of Soboma George that was bombed by JTF in an attempt to flush cultists from Port Harcourt.
Uneasy Calm In Port Harcourt, As Curfew Bites HardThere are still palpable anxieties and hardship hitting Port Harcourt residents hard as the curfew imposed by the Rivers State Government to stem the tide of cultism enters a critical stage. Penultimate week, military operation against cultist groups in some parts of Port Harcourt reportedly left over 50 persons dead while several others were seriously injured. It would be recalled that the Rivers State Government, in an attempt to provide lasting solution to militant attitude in the state, imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in the entire state. Residents in the state are expected to be indoors from 7pm in the evening to 6am in the morning. Our correspondent who monitored the curfew in the last three days reported that the curfew have inflicted further hardship on the people living and doing business in Port Harcourt. On the first day a motor-cycle spare parts dealer who was traveling back from Imo State, Mr. Peter unaware of the curfew arrived Port Harcourt late, and met a long traffic jam. According to Mr. Peter, the soldiers descended heavily on them stating that they hit him on the head with the butt of a gun.He therefore, pleaded with appropriate authorities to impress on the soldiers to be more civil, even as he welcomes the presence of the military to contain the activities of the cultists in the state. Another traveler who spoke under condition of anonymity said he was entering Port Harcourt for the first time unaware of the curfew. He decried the hardness of the security operatives on them. On the first day of the curfew, most motorists, according to our correspondent were trapped in the long traffic jam which kept them on the road till 8pm, far beyond the stipulated time of the curfew. Local transport was also hard as vehicles were off the roads. Mr. Edwin, a journalist, was held by the security men, refusing to let him off beyond the curfew time.He was, however, released after spirited efforts by his boss. For the okada operators, it has posed fresh difficulties for them. A number of the okada operators who spoke to Niger Delta STANDARD said the 6pm curfew has further eaten deep into their operational time. They noted that this has affected their income drastically, even as they said they hardly meet up with their daily needs. The curfew is also reported to be affecting business activities in town. Most shop owners contacted lamented low patronage. Even traders who usually travel to Aba to bring in their goods complained of difficult times as they hardly return on time to meet up the curfew time schedule. This, they said, had always exposed them to undue confrontation with soldiers and other security operatives in the state.
Uneasy Calm In Port Harcourt, As Curfew Bites HardThere are still palpable anxieties and hardship hitting Port Harcourt residents hard as the curfew imposed by the Rivers State Government to stem the tide of cultism enters a critical stage. Penultimate week, military operation against cultist groups in some parts of Port Harcourt reportedly left over 50 persons dead while several others were seriously injured. It would be recalled that the Rivers State Government, in an attempt to provide lasting solution to militant attitude in the state, imposed a dusk to dawn curfew in the entire state. Residents in the state are expected to be indoors from 7pm in the evening to 6am in the morning. Our correspondent who monitored the curfew in the last three days reported that the curfew have inflicted further hardship on the people living and doing business in Port Harcourt. On the first day a motor-cycle spare parts dealer who was traveling back from Imo State, Mr. Peter unaware of the curfew arrived Port Harcourt late, and met a long traffic jam. According to Mr. Peter, the soldiers descended heavily on them stating that they hit him on the head with the butt of a gun.He therefore, pleaded with appropriate authorities to impress on the soldiers to be more civil, even as he welcomes the presence of the military to contain the activities of the cultists in the state. Another traveler who spoke under condition of anonymity said he was entering Port Harcourt for the first time unaware of the curfew. He decried the hardness of the security operatives on them. On the first day of the curfew, most motorists, according to our correspondent were trapped in the long traffic jam which kept them on the road till 8pm, far beyond the stipulated time of the curfew. Local transport was also hard as vehicles were off the roads. Mr. Edwin, a journalist, was held by the security men, refusing to let him off beyond the curfew time.He was, however, released after spirited efforts by his boss. For the okada operators, it has posed fresh difficulties for them. A number of the okada operators who spoke to Niger Delta STANDARD said the 6pm curfew has further eaten deep into their operational time. They noted that this has affected their income drastically, even as they said they hardly meet up with their daily needs. The curfew is also reported to be affecting business activities in town. Most shop owners contacted lamented low patronage. Even traders who usually travel to Aba to bring in their goods complained of difficult times as they hardly return on time to meet up the curfew time schedule. This, they said, had always exposed them to undue confrontation with soldiers and other security operatives in the state.
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