Rivers State To Deport Almajiri, Warns Landlords

By Chuks Ekpeneru

The Rivers State Government is to deport almajiris and other street beggars from the state with immediate effect.

Governor Nyesom Wike gave the order on Monday in a statewide broadcast on COVID-19.

Wike lamented the dimension COVID-19 is beginning to take in the country and said stringent measures has to be applied to curb it’s spread in the state.

He 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 since the Police and other security agencies have failed to protect the borders.

“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.

“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.”

Send Us A Press Statement Advertise With Us Contact Us

 And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG