A group of women from the Ipo Community in Rivers State took to the streets once again to block the entrance of the Port Harcourt International Airport. They were protesting against the inadequate provision of services such as power supply in their area.
Despite being the host community to the airport for many years, the women feel that they are not receiving the benefits they deserve, including access to food and schools.
Arriving at the main entrance of the airport in Omagwa at 7 am, the women displayed various slogans on placards, sang in their local dialect, and danced to draw attention to their cause.
Some of the messages on the placards included, “We demand our citizens’ rights”, “We deserve better treatment as a host community”, “We want electricity in our community”, and “Ipo women peaceful protest”.
The protest led to traffic congestion, disrupting access to the airport and leaving many passengers stranded on their way to travel.
One of the women, identified as Orinda, expressed their frustration, stating, “In March, we protested about the lack of power supply and basic amenities. Promises were made to address the issue but nothing has been done. That’s why we’re here. We will continue to stay here until our demands are met.”
During a similar protest in March 2024, former Chairman of Rivers Traditional Rulers Council, Sergeant Awuse, intervened to calm the protesters and restore order.
State Police Command spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, mentioned that she had not received any official report about the protest when contacted. She assured to investigate the matter further and provide updates, but there was no response by the time of compiling this report on Tuesday afternoon.
More details to follow…