Wike, FG disagree over arrest of Carveton pilots, passengers

Friction is brewing between the Federal Government and Rivers State, following the arraignment of two Carveton Helicopters pilots and 10 passengers by the latter for violation of its COVID-19 containment orders.

The suspects, said to be oil workers, were arrested at the Air Force Base in Port Harcourt on Wednesday by the police and subsequently charged to court for disobeying government’s orders on restriction of movement.

Governor Nyesom Wike had on March 19signed an Executive Order on COVID-19.

The governor, who had acknowledged that while his government might not have the legal right to stop flights from entering Port Harcourt, said it would not allow anybody coming from the airport to enter the state.

But on Sunday, the governor, in state broadcast, said the state had been inundated with letters from the Federal Government to allow oil companies to fly in expatriates to drill oil.

He stressed that despite not supporting the state’s effort to deal with the pandemic, the Federal Government had continued to endanger the state by in flying expatriates.

Amid the friction, the pilots on Wednesday conveyed passengers into Port Harcourt. It was alleged that the pilots and passengers, refused to subject themselves to prescribed tests. It was on this basis that the pilots and 10 passengers were arrested and subsequently arraigned before courts of competent jurisdiction to face trial.

Responding, Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, declared that the pilots were duly authorised to fly into the Air Force base, while Wike declared them persona non grata in the state.

The governor also instructed council chairmen to stop all operations of the helicopter company in their localities.