Protesters Disrupt Flights At Port Harcourt International Airport Over Pollution, Blackout For 10 Years

Several passengers on Wednesday were stranded as movements of major flights were disrupted at the Port Harcourt International Airport over the ongoing protest by the dwellers of Omagwa and Ipo communities in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The communities host the international airport, and they turned up in huge numbers to barricade the entrance to the Port Harcourt International Airport, protesting a lack of power and other services.

The protest has hampered flight operations, leaving passengers stranded, and the situation has resulted in traffic spanning from the Airport Road to nearby towns.

The demonstrators, who gathered as early as 7am on Wednesday, said that despite hosting the international airport and suffering from noise pollution on a regular basis, they are not compensated and there are no excellent schools nearby.

One of the protesters, who gave his name as Oki, accused the airport authorities of neglect, while speaking to PUNCH.

He said,  “We in Omagwa and Ipo don’t have light for over 10 years. We want compensation for the noise pollution coming from the airport every day. We are tired. That is why we are here. ”