RIVERS: Governor Wike Imposes 24-Hour Curfew In Port Harcourt Due To Cult Activities

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has imposed a 24-hour total curfew for two weeks on the entire area around the Okoro-Nu-Odo flyover in Rumuokoro area of Port Harcourt due to an upsurge of cult activities and related violence.

The governor disclosed this in a state-wide broadcast on Sunday evening, where he explained that the decision to impose the curfew was taken after the State Security Council meeting in Port Harcourt.

Wike said he was seriously disturbed by the recent upsurge of cult activities and related violence and killings around the adjoining areas of the Okoro-Nu-Odo flyover in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

He warned that government would spare no efforts to deal appropriately with anyone who decides to disturb peace and security in the state with cult activities and associated violence and killings.

“As part of measures to tackle this menace, therefore, government has imposed a 24-hour total curfew for two weeks on the entire area along and around the Okoro-nu-Odo flyover up to one-kilometre radius from Saint Emmanuel Anglican Church, Rumuokoro, extending to the Rumuodomaya Slaughter and local government area daily market with effect from Monday, November 23, 2020.

“Consequently, no form of trading, human or vehicular movement is allowed within the afore-mentioned restricted areas until further notice. Only staff and vehicles belonging to Julius Berger Nigeria Limited are exempted from the curfew and associated restrictions on movement so that construction work on the Okoro-Nu-Odu flyover is not stalled.

“Again, we wish to warn that community leaders that allow cultism and related activities to thrive unabated in their communities would be treated as collaborators to the resulting crimes and dealt with accordingly.

“We urge all citizens to be part of the efforts to curb cultism in the State by reporting any suspicious cult activity, including gatherings and initiations in or around their neighbourhoods to the security agencies for immediate action,” he added”

The governor directed security agencies to enforce strict compliance with the curfew and arrest and summarily prosecute any person, trader or vehicle that may attempt to violate the curfew.

KanyiDaily recalls that Governor Wike had also sent the name of lecturers at the Rivers state University (RSU) to the Department of State Services (DSS) for profiling over alleged activities of suspected cultists in the university.