CORONAVIRUS: GOVERNOR WIKE COMES HEAVY ON PILOTS WHO FLEW IN EXPERTRIATES INTO RIVERS STATE

CORONAVIRUS: GOVERNOR WIKE COMES HEAVY ON PILOTS WHO FLEW IN EXPERTRIATES INTO RIVERS STATE 

Two Caverton pilots who were arrested yesterday for violating an order by the Rivers government on closure of all borders including the airspace, are remanded in prison custody for flying in expatriates into the state.

 The two pilots identified as Samuel Urgoji and Samuel Buhari, were arraigned during a Chief Magistrate Court on 4 count charge which bordered on disobeying the chief Order issued by the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike aimed toward checking the spread of COVID-19 within the state.



Chief Magistrate D. D. Ihua-Maduenyi who ordered that a medical test be administered on the pilots to determine their health status, also ordered that they be remanded in prison till May 19, 2020 when their trial will commence.

However Caverton kicked against the court's directive which remanded their pilots in prison custody. The airline insisted that it received approval from the Minister of Aviation to work essential services during the lockdown.

The statement reads;

“At the beginning of the COVID -19 lockdown, we received a letter from our client stating that they need been given approval/ exemption to fly and continue operations. We (Caverton along side three other companies) also received approval from the Minister of Aviation to fly only essential services, mainly within the oil and gas industry. Lastly, we got another approval from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to fly for this same oil and gas sector. we've been flying along these guidelines for the past seven days.

“Today, we were informed that the Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike was coming to deal with the operators in Port Harcourt and our people waited. But on arriving, the governor directed two of our pilots to be taken to CID where they were told to write down statements.

“Despite all pleas by our lawyers who showed all the relevant documents, they were taken to the magistrate court and charged. At the court, our lawyers also presented all the documentations approving us to fly by the federal but the case was closed and therefore the pilots are remanded in Port Harcourt prison till May 19."



The company appealed to the federal to urge the Rivers government to release “our pilots who violated no law and are being unduly punished for reasons we still don't understand.”