Gov Wike Arrests 22 Exxon Mobil Offshore Staff For Violating Lockdown

River State Governor, Nyensom Wike on Thursday night ordered arrest of 22 offshore staff of Exxon Mobil.

BIGPEN understands the oil workers who flew from Akwa-Ibom were picked up by security agents on the order of the governor for allegedly violating an Executive Lockdown Order in the state.

Sources privy to the development, revealed that the arrested oil workers are members of the Petroleum & Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, while the remaining staff is the company’s Chief Security Officer, CSO.

Confirming the development at a Press Conference in Port Harcourt on Friday, Governor Wike, stated that the Exxon Mobil matter will be a test case in legal jurisprudence in the country.

He said: “Security agencies arrested 22 staff of Exxon Mobil who came into the state from neighbouring Akwa Ibom State in violation of the extant Executive Order restricting movement into the state. We do not know the coronavirus status of these individuals.

“Even though security agencies advised that they be allowed to go back to Akwa Ibom State, I insisted that the law must take its course. This is because nobody is above the law.

“As a responsive government, we have quarantined them in line with the relevant health protocols and they will be charged to court.”

The Rivers State Governor regretted that Federal Authorities are working dangerously to compromise the health protection system of Rivers State and thereby make vulnerable to coronavirus.

He said: “Some people want the escalation of the virus in Rivers State. People were paid to canvass a negative narrative on Carveton Pilots.

“We are doing what we can within available resources to fight coronavirus. You can fly , but as you fly and land, don’t enter our territory. “

“We will fight this matter legally. Exxon Mobil does not operate in Rivers State . That they have a point at the Onne seaport does not mean that they operate in Rivers State.

“People in Abuja are not happy. They want Rivers State to be infected. They want to kill Rivers people and I will not allow it. I was elected to protect Rivers people. Rivers State is not a pariah State.

“The right thing must be done. We are talking about something that is killing people. They want coronavirus to escalate in Rivers State. The law must be tested. Make sacrifice and let us contain the virus.”

Governor Wike said that Rivers State cannot be manipulated from any Quarters.

Wike lamented that people selling Akara, groundnuts as their daily means of living are being charged to court in Lagos everyday, while stressing that big companies are the ones flouting the lockdown order the most.

He said: “People selling Akara are being charged to Court in Lagos. But they want us to allow oil companies to flout the law. I am a boy to Rivers people, not to anybody outside Rivers State.

“Nobody will use Rivers State as a toy. This Federal Government does not like us, but a government will come that likes Rivers State”, the governor added.