More Than 200,000 Nigerians Face Homelessness From Govt. Effort

Amnesty International released a report Thursday warning that more than 200,000 Nigerians currently living in shantytowns will face homelessness as a result of planned demolitions in waterfront areas of the area's oil hub, Port Harcourt.

The Rivers State government asserts that the demolition is necessary to implement an urban renewal project initiated in 2009.

Evictions began in August last year, AFP reports, and did not include any compensation or resettlement plans for affected communities. The cleared areas will house a cinema complex, theme park and other tourist attractions.

In Amnesty's report, its deputy Africa Program director Tawanda Hondora explains:

"None of the affected communities have been adequately consulted about these urban renewal plans and this has resulted in a great deal of uncertainty and insecurity...The government must make every effort to identify alternatives to evictions, using them only as a last resort."

Amnesty International also released a briefing paper that asserted armed security forces in charge of the evictions are using excessive force and detailed an incident a year ago in which forces opened fire on civilians who were peacefully protesting. At least 12 people were shot.

Bundu, one of the waterfront areas, is one of the largest voting wards in the state, according to Reuters. Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi hopes to pacify ward residents and told the wire service that the demolition of the area was necessary to end violence in the city. He pledged to provide accommodations for those losing their homes.

But residents have little faith in the governor's promises and armed gangs in the area have demanded the government cease demolition of their homes.

The advocacy collaborative CMAP has released a video series of personal stories from evicted residents.

Linus, a resident of the waterfront, explained his own experience as security forces descended on his neighborhood.

WATCH:

View more personal testimonies from residents at cmapping.net.

Amnesty International has established a Web page for people around the world to leave a message of solidarity with the anti-demolition campaign. Leave a message of solidarity on Amnesty.org.

Comments

[TYRANNASAURUS]

11:47 AM on 10/31/2010

More Than 200,000 Nigerians Face Homelessness From Govt. Effort.....

Nigeria is a country of 356,000 square miles with a population of over 100,000,000...... 200,000 is not a large number in comparison.... but the truth be known...they're in desperate need of a strong sterilization program.....

Side note.....

Nigeria is where many of the scams on people in this country come from..... it's a legitimate business there.

[Voting citizen]

05:29 PM on 10/29/2010

Sounds like homelessness is a world wide effort by governments including the U.S.A. So whats the agenda? Rich not rich enough yet?

[Gracie fr]

03:46 PM on 10/29/2010

When this happened in Harare, Zimbabwe, there was an international outcry of the loudest kind. Ah yes, but Nigeria has oil and oil is the new new black gold in a resource war of unsuspected and dynamic proportions.

[goodmarina]

02:30 PM on 10/29/2010

This is a travesty

Behold the power of Oil -- Doesn't China have huge financial interest in Nigeria's oil? I have seen this happening in other smaller countries where geo-resources are being harvest.

These people's voices mean so little to the governments and international interest that have money on their minds.

I wish i could do something!

[MarcEdward]

03:17 PM on 10/29/2010

We in the USA get a lot of Nigerian oil too I believe.

[goodmarina]

04:06 PM on 10/29/2010

i don't doubt that for a moment ...

but China came to mind because i have seen, first hand, some of the misplacement of families when China strikes up "a deal" with a country for their natural resources.

but certainly - Americans are as culpable for the displacement of families thanks to our consumerism and the greed of big companies.

heck, we even go to war when necessary so that we can force our version of Petrodemocracy - dontcha know ; )

[chedet]

09:41 AM on 10/30/2010

It's very difficult to drill for oil in Nigeria. Partly because of the bureaucracy and the threat by certain groups. It's just like Sudan. Though oil rich, they are not easily accessible.

[Frank Choi]

12:46 PM on 10/29/2010

When the focus on a commodity like oil outweighs the consideration of people's well-being, you know that we haven't learned anything.

[TYRANNASAURUS]

11:50 AM on 10/29/2010

More Than 200,000 Nigerians Face Homelessness From Govt. Effort....

So what's the big problem........... many more Americans are homeless

[Bumpkins]

12:17 PM on 10/29/2010

That is what I figure too....why not do some articles on the millions made homeless, or the 43 million on food stamps....43 million people do not get on the front page....why media....not important enough...43 million....shame, shame to you.

[MarcEdward]

03:16 PM on 10/29/2010

The problem is that their "government" suppresses the will of the Islamic majority, who will justly blame the USA which supports this government, and eventually led to blowback that endangers all Americans.

[Cranmer1549]

11:13 AM on 10/29/2010

200,000 are facing homelessness? That sound like our country right now.

[LaBrayne35]

10:29 AM on 10/29/2010

It is amazing how these poor people remain victims - it goes on for decade after decade...tools of dictators who rape and pillage and murder at whim...millions slaughtered and nothing ever happens..the great UN does NOTHING...the UN is even guilty of raping these poor people .
The dictators are permitted to seek asylum to escape trial time after time. Trillions sent there for a century and nothing changes...only that the leaders change and they all end up in rich living the good life in a foreign country.

[MarcEdward]

09:47 AM on 10/29/2010

Disgusting.
This is a nation rich with oil, and they have to act like this?
And we support this government over the will of the people?
And when some Nigerian carries out a terrorist attack against the USA, we'll scream "Why do they hate us?"

[Schweik]

08:04 PM on 10/30/2010

The idio-c of this fertilizer producer reaching hallucinatory levels.

[Jay Dickson]

08:51 AM on 10/29/2010

Birth control.Nothing the UN can do with this sad situation.Send Jolene or Bono they seemed understand the problems of the African nations