Rivers Sends 150 Non-Indigene Vagrants To Their Home States

Rivers State government has sent 150 non-indigenes to their states of origin in the North, Ebonyi and Akwa Ibom as well as Niger Republic, as part of measures to curb the spread of Coronavirus pandemic.

The state profiled the affected persons and sent them to their states and country of origin through the Ministry of Social Welfare.

Commissioner for Social Welfare, Mrs Inime Aguma, led other officials of the ministry to profile the vagrants before they were evacuated to their states and local government areas of origin.

The commissioner said the evacuation was meant to protect Rivers indigenes from the raving virus.

She added that the exercise was not targeted at any ethnic group but aimed at removing vagrants with potential to spread Coronavirus on the streets and in their communities.

Mrs. Aguma said adequate arrangements were being made to ensure that the vagrants were transported to their locations in dignity.

Governor Nyesom Wike, in a state-wide broadcast on Monday, said: “We have also directed the Commissioner of Social Welfare to round up and deport all vagrants, including the almajiri, to their states of origin to protect our people from the threat they present to the transmission of this pandemic.”

Also, the governor, on Tuesday, arrested five persons for violating the lockdown order.

Wike announced the arrest while monitoring compliance with the order in parts of Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor local government areas.

The offenders, who were not on essential duties, were reportedly handed over to security agencies.

In his recent broadcast, Wike ordered a 24-hour lockdown on Elekahia, Rumukalagbor-Elekahia link road; Rumuomasi, including Stadium Road, and Rumuobiokani.

The governor drove through Elekahia and Rumuomasi where there was full compliance with the lockdown, with security personnel manning strategic points on the roads.

At Rumuobiokani, Wike arrested two women on leisure drive and handed them over to security personnel, while at Rumuomasi roundabout, he seized a motorcyclist.