Rivers state development affected by insecurity

Nigerian writer, Caleb Fubara has decried the unprecedented scale of killings, and kidnappings in River State, which he described as a threat to the growth and development of the state.

The writer in his keynote address during a book launch in Abuja titled: “Rivers State Season of Insanity,” stressed that the biggest threat to the state’s development is insecurity.

Fubara who said he was inspired to write the book following the continued violence which has bedevilled Rivers State, said it has forced some companies out of the state.

He added that ‘The Rivers State Season of Insanity’ was aimed at reawakening the Rivers people to the happenings in the state that used to be the treasure base.

According to him: “I was sort of provoked to write the book because it seems the entire state and her people are being taken for granted. The violence which is politically motivated had turned River State from the garden city as it is widely known to rivers of blood.

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He said: “Politicians need to address this because we need development, I know there some sane politicians among them, but some behave like their life depends on politics. The state that was once the garden city of Nigeria, today over time, all the companies are no longer there, they have moved because of insecurity and nothing is being done about it.

“When it started in the millennium year, we thought that with time, the successive government will curtail it, Though, Rotimi Amaechi tried his best to curtail that insecurity he met on the ground because it was really at the time he came in, but the moment he left, it escalated.”

He said in as much as he doesn’t have any issue with Wike as a person, but his interest to govern the state became one of the reasons for the resuscitation of violent clashes.

“Some zones feel marginalised which invariably led to crisis currently faced in the state, there is no sane person in the state that is happy, I feel so sad that those things that are happening are done by those within my age bracket, I cannot sit down wait for elders in the state to keep shouting,” he said.