Wike rejects pleas to relax curfew, alleged sponsorship by criminals

Despite widespread criticisms and appeals at various quarters in the state for the Rivers State government to relax the statewide curfew, Governor Nyesom Wike has said the curfew will stay in place.

Describing the criticisms as sponsored, the governor said he was not unmindful of the traffic difficulty experienced by the residence of the state, particularly in Port Harcourt and Obio-Akpor councils while trying to beat the 8:30 pm curfew time but argued it was better to suffer inconveniences and be alive.

Road users and residents of Port Harcourt have been facing harrowing experience in the past week following the closure of several sections of the roads in the Port Harcourt metropolis due to construction work and because of the statewide curfew of between 8:30 pm to 6 am.

People spent upwards of two hours in traffic on a journey of fewer than 15 minutes causing extensive loss of man-hours and so much physical, mental and phycological stress on the people.

Various classes of businesses have also suffered huge losses to the curfew and the worsened traffic with many calling on the government to relax the curfew so as to ease the traffic congestion, especially during rush hour traffic periods.

But governor Wike defended the efficacy of the night curfew alleging that it was a gimmick by criminals who could no longer carry on with their nefarious activities.

While speaking at the 60th birthday celebration of the federal lawmaker who represents Rivers South-East senatorial district in the Senate, Senator Barry Barinada Mpigi in Port Harcourt, Wike said; “Some criminals who have not been succeeding in kidnapping, have been sending people to go on radio to say the governor should be reasonable, and that they don’t want the curfew again.

“Criminals are the ones who are doing that. I will not agree,” he insisted, adding; “Life and property are important for me.

“All those criminals who have been sending people to go on the radio that they are suffering and that we should extend the curfew to 12 am, to enable them to kidnap people from 7 pm, will not succeed. Don’t waste your time.”

He explained that the imposition of the curfew is based on security advice by law enforcement agencies, as a precaution to prevent further attacks on security formations in the state.

He enjoined residence and the people of the state to learn how to make sacrifices, suffer the inconveniences of today to achieve a better tomorrow. According to him: “I want all of us to be alive to take care of our children.”

The governor also disclosed the cheering news that approval has been given for a Nigeria Law School campus to be sited in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

“We have gotten approval to have a Law School in Port Harcourt. It is not about me, it is the legacy you leave. This was a Law School that was given to Port Harcourt, but the previous government rejected it and it was sent to Yenagoa.

“Today, we have that approval that there must be a Law School in Port Harcourt. And I can assure you in six months time, our Law School will be the best Law School in Nigeria.”

He also announced that a Federal High Court in Abuja has awarded $1.1billion to the state in a lawsuit against the Federal Government.

The $1.1 Billion is entitlements of Rivers State based on the subsisting decision of the Supreme Court over production sharing contracts arising from the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contracts.

The governor thanked God for his grace and benevolence toward Senator Mpigi and his family.

The governor, who recalled that his relationship with Senator Mpigi dates back to when they were both council chairmen, urged the senator to remain a steadfast Peoples Democratic Party stalwart.

Chairman of the occasion and former President of the Movement of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) Ledum Mitee, thanked God for the life of Senator Mpigi, whom he described as a politician with the grassroots appeal.

Senator Mpigi said he decided to celebrate his 60th birthday specifically to thank God for life, sound health and his reuniting with Governor Wike.

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