…Suspects Security Agencies May Sabotage Effort To Fight Pandemic
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has announced that the state government will set up a taskforce to man the state borders to ensure that Rivers people are protected from coronavirus.
The governor stated that the taskforce will be in place because of the likelihood of sabotage from federal security agencies.
Wike spoke on Monday at Government House, Port Harcourt, while signing an Executive Order RVSG-02 No. 3 -2020 to back authorise the establishment of the taskforce.
He said: “This is the third Executive Order that I will be signing since the coronavirus pandemic started. This third Executive Order is very important.
“We suspect there will be sabotage on the part of the security agencies. That is why we are appointing a taskforce to man our borders. We owe our people a duty to protect them. There is likely to be sabotage. Our Task Force will be at the borders to protect our people.”
The governor said contrary to the falsehood being peddled on the release of ExxonMobil staff, noting that it was strictly on the intervention of respected Nigerians and not due to the threat to embark on strike.
“No federal agency spoke to us. But there were respected Nigerians who intervened and they were released by 8am on Sunday.
“ExxonMobil signed and agreed that they will take back their staff to Eket. That was the condition we gave for their release.”
Wike, who announced that the laws on restriction of movement must be implemented for the safety of everyone, said: “On Sunday, we arrested some staff of BUA who violated the law. They have been arraigned in court and remanded.”
He reiterated that coronavirus is no respecter of persons, pointing out that it has killed both influential and less privileged, hence the need to be more vigilant.
Attorney-General of Rivers State, Professor Zaccheus Adangor, said the two legal instruments signed by the state Governor will help in the fight against coronavirus.
Adango stated the Quarantine (Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other infectious diseases) Regulations (No. 2-2020) stipulates non custodial sentences for offenders. He said that individuals will be fined 50,000 while corporate organizations will be N1million.
