Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike says a senior police officer in the state is frustrating the efforts of the state government to achieve the total lockdown of the state to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Speaking during an interview with newsmen, Wike revealed that the senior police officer is a deputy commissioner of police in the state.
He further accused the police officer of issuing letters to companies to operate when such power is only bestowed on the governor’s office.
“I want to commend Rivers people for the level of support they have shown. The level of compliance is quite satisfactory. It is more than 95 percent within the two local government areas of the state.
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“It is unfortunate to see the level of sabotage that we get from the police. Particularly, a Deputy Commissioner of Police in the state. The Deputy Commissioner of Police will sign approvals for companies. I am the governor of this state and there cannot be two governors.
“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 anything in my life.”
“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.
“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 councils.
“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, but the Deputy Commissioner of Police wants us to suffer.
“I have called for an emergency Security Council meeting. This is a complete sabotage by the Deputy Commissioner of Police. 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 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. That is unacceptable.”
via: Information Nigeria
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