Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd).
By Maureen Dick
COMMUNITY leaders have told officials of Rivers State government that widespread insecurity, rampant land grabbing, herdsmen attacks, breakdown in healthcare and education systems have thrown Etche Local Government Area into crisis
The leaders to the officials during a high-level stakeholder engagement on Wednesday.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), represented by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olugbenga Adepoju, led a delegation to Etche LGA to assess the situation firsthand.
The visit was part of an ongoing tour of local governments across the state to gather critical feedback and chart practical responses to pressing community concerns.
“We are not just here to listen, we are here to act,” CP Adepoju assured residents, adding that “security is a shared responsibility, and the government will not rest until peace is restored in every part of Rivers State.”
Among the most disturbing issues raised was the growing threat from herdsmen.
Hon. Onyenachi Nwankwor, Administrator of Etche LGA, decried how farmlands were being overrun with armed herders allegedly extorting locals and endangering lives.
Similarly, President-General of Ogbakor Etche, Silas Anyanwu, recounted a recent attack: “An Apara farmer was assaulted simply for refusing to pay N6,000 demanded by herders to access his own farmland. People now sleep with one eye open.”
Chief Joseph Amaechi expressed outrage at the continued absence of Miyetti Allah representatives at security forums, calling it “a deliberate act of disrespect” to the community’s plight.
Residents painted a grim picture of social services collapse. Once boasting two hospitals, Etche now has only one barely functioning facility. The Okehi General Hospital and Umuede Health Centre have shut down, leaving tens of thousands without access to medical care.
“Our children learn in dilapidated schools without enough teachers or learning materials,” said a woman’s leader at the meeting, urging the state government to “rescue Etche’s future before it’s too late.”
Unemployment and drug abuse are fueling youth unrest, local leaders warned.
A representative of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (Etche Chapter) cautioned: “If the government does not intervene, the youth will resort to self-help. The signs are already here.”
The revival of the Delta Rubber Company was identified as a critical step in addressing economic decline and engaging young people.
Responding to the outcry, CP Adepoju said the Rivers State Government is prioritizing Etche’s needs.
He pledged, “increased security deployments to vulnerable communities; urgent engagement with Miyetti Allah to address the herdsmen crisis; immediate rehabilitation of Okehi General Hospital and critical schools; youth empowerment programmes, including skills training and job creation schemes.
Others pledges made by the state Police boss were “dialogue with investors to revive the Delta Rubber Company; the government hears you loud and clear.
“This administration will work hand-in-hand with traditional rulers, youth leaders and every stakeholder to restore peace and prosperity.”
Hon. Nwankwor closed the meeting with a passionate appeal: “We know the criminals, they are our children. But, without jobs, healthcare and education, we are pushing them into crime. Help us give them a better path.”
The engagement underscores the Rivers State Government’s commitment to inclusive development and citizen-led governance.
Residents were urged to remain law-abiding and report any security threats promptly.