Riverine community protests two-year lack of power, water supply in Rivers

By : Obinna Nwaoku

Date: 15 December 2025 12:54pm WAT

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Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, staged a peaceful protest

Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, staged a peaceful protest

Hundreds of women from Kula, a coastal community in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, have staged a peaceful protest over the prolonged lack of electricity and water supply in the area, which they said has persisted for more than two years.

The women marched to the jetty and security checkpoints in the community, carrying placards with various inscriptions to draw attention to their plight. They lamented that the prolonged power outage has resulted in severe water scarcity, compounding hardship in the riverine community.

The protesters said that despite hosting critical national assets and three major oil companies, Kula continues to suffer neglect and deprivation, with residents lacking basic amenities.

According to them, the situation has brought untold hardship to the area, making life increasingly unbearable. They said the absence of electricity and water has adversely affected public health, the general well-being of residents and the local economy, particularly small-scale businesses that depend on stable power supply.

The women also stated that the situation has worsened the cost of living in the community, forcing many households to rely on contaminated, reptile-infested wells for their daily water needs, with serious health implications.

One of the protesters, Ibitonye, said: “We are protesting because of the absence of light and water. We are angry. The women of Kula are suffering. We urge the Federal Government to intervene.

“If you see the well we draw water from, you will shed a tear for us. And this is injustice for we the people who have oil well surrounding them. At least in Rivers State we have the highest number of oil wells.

“Malaria want to completely exterminate us because of the kind of water we drink and environment we live in. Cholera is everywhere.”

The women sent a save-our-soul message to Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, the authorities of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, the Federal Government and oil companies operating in the area, urging them to urgently intervene by restoring electricity and water supply.

“We are therefore calling on the Governor, the local government chairman, Renaissance, Bella Oil, to help us with light because we are suffering—no light, no water,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command said its operatives made significant strides in combating car theft and snatching in the state, with the recent arrest of two suspects and the recovery of two stolen vehicles. A statement from the Command on Sunday noted that operatives from the Command’s C4I Intelligence Unit, on 20 November 2025, at about 6 pm, arrested Abubakar Abdulsalam, 43, and Shagari Shehu, 35, in connection with the theft of a white Toyota Hilux.

According to the Command’s Spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, the suspects were found in possession of the stolen vehicles following credible and reliable information.

She noted that the operatives are working to establish the suspects’ potential links to other vehicle-related crimes in the state and to arrest other syndicate members, adding that the vehicles, which had fake registration numbers, are currently in police custody for discreet investigation.

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