By Eric Elezuo

There were times in the distant past, when Rivers State, popularly touted as the Treasure Base of the Nation, was referred to as the unofficial wild wild south, a misnomer of the late 60s appellation for the Western Region, infamously referred to then as the Wild Wild West. This is because of the unquantified amount of politically instigated violence that became the regions hallmark.

Followers of events, with special reference to political events, will attest to the fact that Rivers State had the notorious advantage of militancy, cultism and other vices that set the state on edge, making it a beehive of politically motivated violence, killings and attendant destruction of both national, state and individual infrastructures.

In the time past, Rivers, without an iota of doubt, was a theatre of blood bath from cultist attacks to sacking of communities by militants. This was before the incumbent governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, happened to the state. The coming of Governor of Wike, in the peak of violence, raised and rekindled hope, and made stakeholders and citizens to express wholesome expectations. It is on record that the governor did not fail, but lived up to expectation, cracking the security situation through dialogue, provision of amenities, and sometimes, outright display of fire power. He was applauded. He was cherished. It was like the mayhem known with the state has become a thing of the past.

A report by The Guardian in 2020 quoted SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based research firm, as saying, in one of their reports that there are more than 100 active gangs in the state, with their activities mostly localised in and around Okochiri, Port Harcourt, Ogba Egbema Ndoni Diobu and Emuoha.

The report maintained that data by the firm showed that 639 persons were killed in gang violence in the state between May 30, 2007, and May 26, 2020.

“These cult groups – such as Deewell, Deebam, Icelanders, Greenlanders, Gberesaako Boys, and the Outlaws – individually and collectively have constituted a menace to the inhabitants of the state, causing incalculable human and economic loss in the process.

“The activities of these criminal gangs has not just led to the movement of businesses outside the state leading to a rise in unemployment, but has also affected the property business in the state,” the report attested

The report traced the genesis of gang violence in Rivers to the creation of the Supreme Vikings Confraternity (SVC), also known as the Adventurers or the De Norsemen Club of Nigeria, at the University of Port Harcourt in 1984 by a former member of the Buccaneers Confraternity.

In 1991, Deebam was formed by a member of the Klansmen Konfraternity in Bukuma to serve as a “street wing” of the group. Klansmen Konfraternity was formed in 1983 at the University of Calabar. Deebam was also used to pressure oil companies to pay compensations to their host communities.

Over the years, the number of groups increased with many of them bankrolled by the political class. Apart from spiking rates of kidnap-for-ransom and mindless murder of rival gangs, Rivers’ street gangs are a part of the reasons elections in the state are always a bloodfest.

A 2015 commission of inquiry by former governor of the state Rotimi Amaechi said, on average, 19 persons were killed every month between November 2014 and April 2015. This was before Wike came board. Though the violence has not completely decimated, there are evidence of considerable reduction

But it is imperative to note that the state records the highest occurrence of “thuggery” on the day of the elections, according to a joint report by SBM and Open Society Initiative for West Africa. The prelude to the election day thuggery comes with electioneering as is being witnessed presently in Rivers State, making the general wonder if the militants are being resurrected.

However, not only did Wike dealt with the insecurity, but he tackled the infrastructural backwardness of the state that houses the prestigious Port Harcourt, otherwise known as Garden City. His abilities and administrative dexterity, especially in the provision of needed amenities and social infrastructures has made him a household name as well as a reference point among governors and those interested in administrative acumen. He has been nicknamed Mr. Project, and desirably so, turning Port Harcourt and adjoining cities into the beauty they are now.

But all these are gradually receding into oblivion as militancy seems to be returning to the state. In recent times, attacks have been witnessed in various parts of the state with unknown persons attacking opposition parties. The major victims this time around has been members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose loyalty rest with the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. And they are allegedly at loggerheads with members, whose loyalty are in the kitty of the state governor, Wike.

It is not established however, that the governor has any hand in the attacks, or can it be directly linked to the him, but it is not out of place to say that either his followers have not been reined in as skirmishes of attacks and violence continue to resonate in the state that has hitherto known peace with the coming of Wike or a free space has been inadvertently created for crime and militancy to strive again. Observers have also said that utterances of the governor have not made it easy for fingers not to be pointed to his direction.

It is in the light of the recent happenings in the state that same fingers are being pointed at certain quarters when the home of Senator Lee Maeba, who represented Rivers South-East senatorial district, was invaded and vandalised by people suspected to be government thugs. An eyewitness, who identified himself as Maeba’s brother, said the intruders, armed with dangerous weapons, struck in the early hours of yesterday, smashing windscreens of vehicles and destroying other valuables.

Reports say persons, numbering over 20, invaded his residence in Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Port Harcourt, destroying his personal properties, including cars. The assailants manhandled those found within the vicinity of the property and totally destroyed whatever that was within reach. However, Senator Maeba, who was absent at the time of the attack, escaped assassination as it was said that one of the hoodlums who beat up the senator’s brother, hinted that had the senator been at home, only one bullet would have settled the issue. A PDP press statement on Saturday however, alleged that the thugs, who carried out the attack were sent by the chairman, Obior Akpor Local Government

It is believed that the imbroglio between the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and the presidential candidate of his party, Atiku Abubakar on one hand, and the chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, on the other hand, is the reason for the renewed fracas in the state. Recall that since the presidential primary of the party held in Abuja, where Wike and other presidential aspirants lost the presidential ticket to Atiku, things have not been the same.

Meanwhile, Senator Maeba, who is believed to have been attacked because of his loyalty to the Atiku camp of the PDP, has declared that he will not withdraw his support for the presidential candidate and his bid to become Nigeria’s president come May 2023 .

Confirming the attack, Maeba said: “When they attacked, they were asking: ‘Where is he, one single bullet would have solved this problem. This programme you are using to disturb Wike here would have ended.’ My brother is injured and currently undergoing treatment. So his blood has been spilled for what reason?”

He added: “I am a PDP man, I must ensure the Presidential candidate wins election in my locality, in my state because that is my job. I am doing democracy here. I am not doing thuggery. I have no space for thuggery.

“They came to kill me but only God knows when I will die. And anybody, who planned this, has struck a rock and the result is coming.”

Condemnations have trailed the attack including a former aide to Wike, Mr. Oraye St Franklin, who said: “The attack on Lee Maeba’s residence in Port Harcourt despite its proximity to a police station, is shocking, to say the least, The attack is roundly condemned. Security agencies are called upon to unravel the incident and bring the perpetrators to book.”

In the same way, the Rivers State Government has distanced itself from the attack as the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Chris Finebone, in a statement, asked security agencies to fish out the attackers.

The attack on Maeba followed reports that the Rivers State government sealed off EUI Event Centre in Port Harcourt after loyalists of Atiku held meeting at the venue. But again, the state government claimed that the event centre failed to heed warnings by the government not to allow its activities obstruct traffic without requisite approval.

Finebone said: “The management of EUI Events Centre has refused to refrain from blocking an entire stretch of part of Sani Abacha link Road without government approval. The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Austen Ben Chioma, also confirmed obstruction of traffic as reason for the action.

Stakeholders, however, are of the opinion that the state government are not sympathetic to opposition parties or anyone camping for the presidency of Atiku, and so has decided to frustrate every effort put in place to project the presidential bid of the candidate.

Trouble started in the state after Atiku’s emergence as PDP presidential candidate, and Wike’s demand for the resignation of the party chairman, Ayu, claiming that two persons from the same region cannot be both the candidate and the chairman. All entreaties made to Wike to see reason from the party’s perspective have failed, leading to war of words between the two camps of the party. Wike has successfully recruited four other governors to his side as well as some former governors. The serving governors are Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State. Some of the past governors include Ayo Fayose, Donald Duke and Segun Mimiko. Also in the Wike camp are former party deputy chairman, Olabode George, present deputy chairman (south south)  and a host of others.

Claiming that Rivers State will vote according to his dictates, Wike has it clear that Atiku will not enjoy the pleasure of Rivers votes, nor will the state campaign for him, saying:

“The presidential candidate entered Rivers and picked those he wanted to pick without the contribution of the governor. So, they don’t need me to campaign for them, they don’t need Rivers people to campaign for them. Will you force yourself on them?

“I have never seen how people will disrespect a state like Rivers and go choose enemies of the state without contribution from us. So, let’s campaign for those who have told us to campaign for them here in the state, the governorship candidate, the senatorial candidates, and others.

“Politics is a game of interest. If nobody accommodates the interest of Rivers State, then we have nothing to do with such people. If you say that you have no interest in Rivers, Rivers will not have your interest. It is only those who like us we will like.

“I have told people who care that Rivers has voted PDP since 1999. Of this support we have given since 1999 till now, can you mention one thing that we have gotten? Can you mention one road we have gotten? All they care about is to use Rivers to bring votes, after bringing votes, you push us aside. That will not happen again.”

But a good number of Rivers political heavyweights are not buying Wike’s story as they have continually pledged allegiance to Atiku. Some of them are a former governor of the state, who has now been stripped of his former governor title, Celestine Omehia; immediate past PDP chairman, Uche Secondus, former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Austin Opara, Senator Lee Maeba, whose land had been revoked because of political link, and who is the chairman of the Atiku Presidential campaign council in Rivers State, and George Sekibo, who has been a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria since 2007 among others.

While the Peace Committee of Abdulsalam Abubakar and Babagana Munguno’s NSA battle to keep the peace in the country as the election draws dangerously close, it behooves governors in whose states oppositions are stifled to reciprocate, and consider national interest before anything else.

Rivers, with all the positives vibes Wike has created therein in the last couple of years, does not deserve to be classified as wild wild south. The governor should think again!