Rivers State Governor,
Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has commended Rivers people for complying with the
lockdown declared by the State Government to check the spread of coronavirus.
In an interview after monitoring the level of
compliance on Thursday, Governor Wike said that the level of
compliance is up to 95percent.
He said: "I want to commend Rivers people for the level
of support they have shown. The level of compliance is quite satisfactory. It is more than 95 percent within the two
Local Government Areas ."
He regretted that the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command moved to sabotage
the lockdown by issuing illegal letters to companies.
"It is unfortunate to see the level of sabotage that we
get from the police. Particularly, the
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Rivers State Police Command.
"The Deputy Commissioner of Police will sign
approvals for companies because he wants
to collect money. I am the Governor of this state and there cannot be two
governors," he said.
He said the approvals issued by the police or any other
authorities, outside the office of the
Rivers State Governor are illegal.
He said: "The Deputy Commissioner of Police has no
powers to issue approvals when the State Government has locked down the state.
After the State Security Council met and agreed on the lockdown, the Deputy Commissioner of Police went ahead
to issue illegal letters to companies to operate. I have never seen that in my life".
The Governor said that all those who were arrested violating
the lockdown will be prosecuted by the State Government.
He said: "All these violators must be prosecuted at the
mobile court set for this purpose. What we are doing is not for any particular
individual, it is for the interest of the state".
Governor Wike assured Rivers people that the lockdown will
be lifted as soon as the objective is achieved.
He said: "Our people are suffering, I agree. But this is something we must do.
When we examine the level of compliance and it is reasonable, of course, we will unlock the two Local Government
Areas.
"It is not in our own interest that people shouldn't
come out or go to the markets. But we are talking about lives and how to
protect our people.
"Look at what is happening in other parts of the
country, the Deputy Commissioner of
Police, Operations wants us to
suffer".
Governor Wike said that the State Security Council will hold
an emergency meeting on the illegal activities of the Deputy Commissioner of
Police, Operations.
He said: "I have called for an emergency security
Council meeting by 3pm today. This is complete sabotage by the Deputy
Commissioner of Police (Operations), Rivers State Police Command. We will deal with that accordingly.
"I, however,
thank the Army, the Navy and
others on what they are doing to enforce the lockdown.
"For the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) to
sabotage us, that will not be accepted. I arrested those people and he had the
guts to tell them to release those I arrested on the road because he is
collecting money from companies. That is
unacceptable".
Governor Wike insisted that the impounded vehicles would be
auctioned.
"The defaulters will be tried by the Mobile Courts and
I have told the Attorney General, all
the impounded vehicles must be auctioned. By tomorrow, the Honourable Attorney General would have
advertised those vehicles and we will auction them.
"Some people don't believe that Coronavirus is in
existence. Until you make them
understand that we are serious, they
will not believe it. We will auction the impounded vehicles
"Those arrested will face the wrath of the law. Nobody
is above the law. We will not allow anyone to sabotage our efforts to protect
our people," he said.
In the course of monitoring the level of compliance, Governor Wike arrested several violators and
impounded cars.
Governor Wike also arrested some very important persons
(VIPS), who were not on essential duties,
but were moving around with their police escorts.
But he allowed a pregnant woman who violated the lockdown
order, on compassionate grounds.
At the Elekahia Isolation Centre, over 200 persons have been arrested and over
20 vehicles impounded by different teams enforcing the lockdown. They are to face the full weight of the law
