Rivers State Governor, Nysome Wike, has replaced Police officers and other federal security agents with task force officers to enforce the state’s border closure.
The Governor stated that his decision was based on the possibility that federal security agents could disrupt the enforcement of the order.
Wike, made this on Monday while signing the Executive Order RVSG-02 No. 3 -2020 at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
He said, “This is the third Executive Order that I will be signing since the coronavirus pandemic started. This third Executive Order is very important.
“We suspect there will be sabotage on the part of the security agencies. That is why we are appointing a task force to man our borders. We owe our people a duty to protect them. There is likely to be sabotage. Our Task Force will be at the borders to protect our people.”
Wike maintained that the laws on the restriction of movement must be implemented for the safety of everyone.
Also, Attorney-General of Rivers State, Prof. Zaccheus Adangor, said the two legal instruments signed by the governor would help in the fight against coronavirus.
He said the Quarantine (Coronavirus (COVID-19) and other infectious diseases) Regulations (No. 2-2020) stipulates non-custodial sentences for offenders, adding that individuals will be fined N50,000 while corporate organizations will be N1million.
Adangor said that the regulations directed the Chief Judge of Rivers State to assign a judge or magistrate to try offenders.
