200 persons arrested, 20 vehicles impounded flouting lockdown in Rivers

Wike expressed: “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 were 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”, Wike expressed.

The governor said that those arrested  for violating the lockdown would 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 would 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 would 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”, he frowned.

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.