Human rights lawyer, Barrister Higher King, has commended governor of Rivers State for closing borders in the state in fight against the coronavirus.
Barrister King speaking in an interview said that he was impressed by step taken by governor of the state, Chief Nyesom Wike, in closing the borders saying nobody should come into the state while the state fights the coronavirus pandemic.
Barrister King said: “I’m impressed by the locking down of our borders. Let nobody come in so that let us know where this thing (coronavirus) is coming from”.
He however called on the state government to look into allegations that police were collecting money to allow people into the state at the borders.
He said the borders should remain closed in the fight against coronavirus and asked the government to watch the police over the allegation that they collect bribe to allow people into the state.
However, the human rights advocate said government should allow people to move about in the state and should provide food for people of the state.
He said those from the North bringing food into the state should be allowed into the state but said they should first be tested before they should be allowed in saying people should not suffer because of the fight against the coronavirus.
On the money set aside by the government for fishermen and farmers in the state, the human rights advocate said that politicians should not enrich themselves by it saying that clergymen and human rights advocates should be involved in ensuring the money would not be misappropriated.
He kicked against the presence of Chinese doctors in the country saying that Nigerian doctors were capable in treating coronavirus patients.
On the arrest of two Caverton helicopter pilots by the Rivers State government, the human rights advocate asked which law they violated and if the state government had made any anti-coronavirus law.
He said even though the governor of the state could take decisions based on an executive order in times of emergency, the governor should ensure the executive order would be ratified by the state House of Assembly.
He said that the government should not just declare anything illegal by mere “word of mouth” saying that the lawmaking arm of the government should make it law by passing a bill.
He also said that if a state government law clashes with a law by the federal government, the federal government law would take pre-eminence.
However, he said the state governor had right to know who the Caverton helicopter pilots were carrying and what they were carrying, as the chief security officer.
He also insisted the pilots should produce their manifest of whom and what they were carrying aboard the helicopter.
Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, had closed all land and sea borders in a statewide broadcast in fight against the coronavirus.
The governor said in the broadcast: “With effect from 6pm on Thursday, March 26, 2020, the Port-Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa will not be open to traffic. While we may not have the right to stop flights from entering Port-Harcourt, we cannot allow anybody coming from the airport to enter our state. All land and sea borders will be closed. Vehicular movements in and out of the state have been banned. These measures are to remain in place until further notice”.
It was learnt the two Caverton helicopter pilots were arraigned at a magistrate court, and later placed on isolation, at Delta Hotels, according to the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. They were however later granted bail.
