Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has directed the Attorney-General of the State and the Commissioner for Justice to auction all the vehicles impounded by the task force on enforcement of the lockdown order in Port Harcourt and Obio Akpor local government areas of the State.
20 vehicles were impounded on Thursday by the task force set up by the state government to enforce the lockdown order imposed by the state government in the two local government areas.
The lockdown, which took effect from Thursday as one of the measures adopted by the state government to check the spread of COVID-19 in the state, has forced residents to desert the streets of Port Harcourt and Obio Akpor local government areas.
Governor Wike, who spoke to reporters shortly after monitoring the level of compliance by residents, said that the defaulters of the lockdown order will be tried by the mobile courts while the impounded vehicles will be auctioned.
“The defaulters will be tried by the mobile courts and I have told the Attorney General, all the impounded vehicles must be auctioned.
“By tomorrow, the Honourable Attorney General would have advertised those vehicles and we will auction them.
“Some people don’t believe that coronavirus is in existence.
“Until you make them understand that we are serious, they will not believe it.
“We will auction the impounded vehicles.
“Those arrested will face the wrath of the law.
“Nobody is above the law. We will not allow anyone to sabotage our efforts to protect our people,” Wike said.
In the course of monitoring the level of compliance, Governor Wike arrested several violators and impounded cars.
The governor also arrested some Very Important Personalities (VIPs), who were not on essential duties but were moving around with their police escorts.
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