Governor Nyesom Wike
Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate
deportation of almajiris and other street beggars from the state with
immediate effect in a bid to curb the spread of coronavirus in the
state.
The Governor gave the order on Monday in a statewide broadcast on COVID-19.
He said it became necessary to deport the almajiris because of the dimension COVID-19 is beginning to take in the country.
The Governor also announced a 24-hour total lockdown in parts of
Obio-Akpor and Port Harcourt city Local Government Areas including;
Elakahia, Stadium Road, Rumuomasi and Rumuobiakani, just as he warned
residents of Oyigbo, Rumukwurusi and Rumuokoro to stay indoors.
Governor Wike, therefore, said the Rivers State Taskforce will be
inaugurated on Tuesday since the Police and other security agencies have
failed to protect the borders.
He said: “In view of the non or passive compliance with these
measures, it has become compelling to also place the following parts of
Port Harcourt and Obio/AkporLocal Government Areas on 24 hours complete
lockdown, beginning from Tuesday 28 April 2020, till further notice:
Elekahia, including the entire stretch of Rumukalagbor-Elekahia link
road; Rumuomasi, including Stadium road; and Rumuobiokani.
“All residents in these areas must stay at home. All shops,
mini-markets, offices and business outfits in these areas must also
cease to operate until further notice.
“Landlords in these areas must take personal responsibility to
enforce this lockdown as we will not hesitate to pull down any
commercial building or structure that opens to business in violation of
this specific directive.
“We are also watching the conduct of residents and traders in
Rumuokoro, Rumuokurusi and Oyigbowho are refusing to adhere to the
Government’s ban and restrictions on business and social gathering in
the State.
“We appeal to the leaders of these communities to enforce the
established restrictions or risk the imposition of a total lockdown on
their communities.”
“These unscrupulous security officers are deliberately putting
our State and the lives of our people at risk as our health system can
hardly cope, should there be a surge in COVID-19 cases.
“To contain this threat, therefore, we will be inaugurating the
State’s Taskforce on Border Closure on Tuesday, April 28, 2020 to
effectively monitor our boundaries and ensure that no unauthorized
person and or vehicle leaves or enters our State under any guise in
breach of the lockdown order.
“We have also directed the Commissioner of Social Welfare to
round-up and deport all vagrants, including the almajiris, to their
States of origin to protect our people from the threat they present to
the transmission of this pandemic.
“We have also widened our case finding and containment strategy
by moving from targeted testing to active sentinel search for cases
with acute symptoms across various public and private facilities and
subject them to immediate testing, isolation and treatment.”
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