RSG Nabs 22 Traders On Inter-State Movement

To ensure the protection of the lives of Rivers people, the Rivers State Government, yesterday, arrested 22 traders entering the state from neighbouring Abia State.
The traders, who were arrested in three different sets, told reporters that they live in Anambra and Abia states, but usually do business in Rivers State.
They claimed that they were not aware that the lockdown was very serious in Rivers State, because in their respective states, traders were allowed to move around.
One of the traders, Mrs Uju Nnamdi, noted that she was coming to the state to sell her wares.
She said though she was aware of the lockdown of the state, she wasn’t aware that her trading would endanger the state.
The driver of the truck, Mr Chijioke John, said he was travelling to Onne from Onitsha, but picked the women at Ihiala in Anambra State.
He said the women pleaded with him to help them, and he took pity on them, since they were standing on the road.
The female traders were conveyed in a container to conceal their movement into the state.
The driver said he opened one of the container doors for the traders to get ventilation.
The Rivers State Health Commissioner, Prof Princewill Chike, said that the 22 traders would be screened to ascertain their Coronavirus status.
He said that the screening was vital to ensure that they don’t infect the state, adding that his ministry has stationed medical personnel to carry out the responsibility.
The commissioner said that after the screening, the traders would be arraigned in court in line with the extant laws in place to protect Rivers people.
Chike said it was embarrassing that a transporter would convey human beings in a container, just to beat the law.
The accused persons were later tried in a magistrate court assigned for that purpose by the chief judge of Rivers State.