The Rivers State Government on Thursday said two pilots of
Caverton Helicopters remanded in prison by a Magistrate Court in the state were
not in prison but in a government hotel.
The two pilots, Samuel Ugorji and Samuel Buhari, were
remanded at the Port Harcourt Custodial Centre on Tuesday.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike had led a team to arrest
the pilots for flying people into the state amidst Coronavirus lockdown.
But the Federal Government had bashed Wike for arresting the
two pilots and the passengers for flying into the State during Coronavirus
lockdown.
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, on Wednesday, said the
Federal Government duly granted Caverton Helicopters the right to fly into
Rivers.
He said the Police Commissioner and the Commander of the Air
Force Base in Port Harcourt would have to answer for alleged incompetence and
for going with Wike to arrest the pilots.
However, the Rivers State Government on Thursday said it
moved the two Caverton pilots, to a hospitality facility owned by the
government in Port Harcourt
Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, the state’s Attorney General and
Commissioner for Justice, who disclosed this, said the step was taken to
protect inmates at the Port Harcourt Correction Centre.
Adangor said in a statement that the movement was after a
Chief Magistrate Court granted his request for variation order on the detention
of the pilots.
“Whilst the Honourable Attorney-General of Rivers State
would ordinarily not want to discuss on radio any matter pending before a Court
of competent jurisdiction, it has become necessary to correct the
misinformation being circulated that the two Pilots arraigned before the Chief
Magistrates Court, Port Harcourt, on Monday, 7 April 2020 are being remanded a
the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre.
“The truth of the matter is that the Honourable
Attorney-General of Rivers State applied for and obtained a variation Order
from the Chief Magistrate Court, Port Harcourt changing the place of remand
from The Port Harcourt Correctional Centre to any Rivers State Government-owned
facility or building including Delta Hotels, GRA Port Harcourt.
“Based on that Order of variation of the remand order, the
two pilots are being remanded at Delta Hotels, GRA Port Harcourt and are
attended to regularly by medical personnel attached to the Rivers State
COVID-19 medical team,” he said in a statement.
I thought Wike frequently flaunts himself as a lawyer. How come he could not differentiate b/w exclusive power and others? No wonder, Gov of Imo state described him as being garulous and Mr know it all. Mr Wike is assuming for himself and air of political importance and relevance which no Nigerian attaches to him. Mr lawyer, pack for one side. You have just embarrassed yourself once again.
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