Rivers State Government has arrested a number of people in Port Harcourt for defying the lockdown order in the state.

Afriupdate learnt that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike intensified the lockdown in Rivers State and was physically present to monitor the level of compliance

The Governor said that all those who were arrested today for violating the lockdown will be prosecuted by the State Government.

He said: “All these violators must be prosecuted at the mobile court set for this purpose. What we are doing is not for any particular individual, it is for the interest of the state.”

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While speaking, the governor assured residents of Rivers state that the lockdown will be lifted as soon as the objective is achieved.

He said: “Our people are suffering, I agree. But this is something we must do. When we examine the level of compliance and it is reasonable, of course, we will unlock the two Local Government Areas.

“It is not in our own interest that people shouldn’t come out or go to the markets. But we are talking about lives and how to protect our people.

“Look at what is happening in other parts of the country. “

The Governor also commended Rivers State residents for complying with the lockdown declared by the State Government to check the spread of coronavirus. Governor Wike said that the level of compliance is up to 95 percent.

He said: “I want to commend Rivers people for the level of support they have shown. The level of compliance is quite satisfactory. It is more than 95 percent within the two Local Government Areas.

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It would be recalled that the coronavirus outbreak first hit some of the world’s largest economies. After originating in China, Italy and Spain were particularly hard hit. The U.S. now leads the world in the number of people who have contracted COVID-19 and those who have died from the disease.