Governor Wike Arrests 14 Persons Hidden Inside Two Cattle Trailers From Adamawa

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has effected the arrest of 14 persons hidden in two trailers conveying cattle from Adamawa State to Port Harcourt. 

Wike said the trailers were intercepted following intelligence from well meaning Nigerians who saw them making their way into Port Harcourt. 

The 14 persons were arrested on Thursday at Rumuigbo in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. 

He subsequently ordered the prosecution of the 14 persons by the mobile court constituted under the state’s Executive Order 6 signed for the declaration of the lockdown. 

According to a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, the governor also directed the state ministry of health to conduct tests on the 14 persons to ascertain their Coronavirus (COVID-19) status. 

He said: “This fight has nothing to do with individuals.  The law must take its course. You are aware of what is happening and then some people want to  illegally smuggle persons into the state.

“The Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor are under lockdown and the law must be obeyed. The trailers and the cows will be auctioned tommorow”

The governor noted that the arrest of the trailers had vindicated him. 

He said the security agencies have failed the people of the state as they collect money and allow defaulters to slip through the border.

“You heard them saying that they gave money to the security agencies before they were allowed to cross the border. 

“The owner of the cattle in the phone interview said they have fallen short of the law,” he said. 

Wike said that people must be alive to eat cow, hence the lockdown to protect the lives of Rivers people. 

He decried the level of desperation to smuggle people into Rivers State. 

Furthermore, he noted that the state government would remain vigilant,  despite the challenges it was facing. 

One of the defaulters, Ahmed Aliyu, said they were contracted from Adamawa State to bring cattle to one Alhaji at the new slaughter in Oyigbo.  He said that he thought the lockdown wwas to start by 10pm.

He informed that they moved into the state after they bribed security personnel with N1500.