Tobias Sylvester
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has ordered the arrest of 14 herdsmen who hid inside two trailers conveying cows from Adamawa State.
Wike, who personally intercepted the men while monitoring the lockdown on Thursday night, declared that the 14 persons are to be tested first for Coronavirus and then charged to court for breaching of Rivers State borders closure.
The governor also ordered auction of their cattles and the two trucks in which they were being conveyed after intercepting them at Rumuigbo, Obio Akpor Local Government Area of the state.
According to Vanguard, one of those arrested, Ahmed Aliyu, who said they were engaged from Adamawa to bring in the cattle to the new slaughter in Oyigbo, claimed they paid N1500 to security agents to breach the state’s closed borders.
During an interview after personally monitoring the lockdown, Governor Wike said:
“This fight has nothing to do with individuals. The law must take its course. Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor are under lockdown and the law must be obeyed. The trailers and the cows will be auctioned tomorrow.
“You heard them saying they gave money to security agencies before they were allowed to cross the border. The owner of the cattle on the phone admitted they have fallen short of the law.”
He further directed the State Ministry of Health to conduct tests on the 14 persons to ascertain their Coronavirus status.
The Governor said he got wind of their movement on intelligence gathered from “well-meaning Nigerians”, but did not confirm if the informant would get the N100,000 reward he earlier promised for whistleblowers over breach of the state Covid-19 restrictions.
KanyiDaioy had reported that Governor Wike also arrested over 200 persons and impounded over 20 vehicles while enforcing the lockdown on Thursday.
