The Abia state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has said under certain regulations that have come into effect in the state, he has the power to restrict the movement of people to protect from getting infected with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Governor said among the steps he has taken to protect the people of the State includes regulations that came into effect on the 1st Day of April 2020 known as and called the ABIA STATE INFECTIOUS DISEASES (EMERGENCY PREVENTION) REGULATIONS 2020.

In a release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Onyebuchi Ememanka on Friday, made available to ABN TV, Governor Ikpeazu said in making these regulations for the good order, safety, security, and public order in Abia State, he acted pursuant to the plenitude of powers conferred on him in that regard by the Abia State Public Health Law, Cap 139 Laws of Abia State 2005 and in particular, by Section 8 of the Quarantine Act, Cap C02, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, (having regard to the provisions of Sections 2, 3 and 4 of the Quarantine Act, Cap C02, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004), and further pursuant to all other enabling laws and powers in that regard, subject to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.

“The Regulations confer on the Governor certain powers which, amongst others, include the power to direct the restriction of movement within, into and out of Abia State, save for the movement of essential supplies and essential services personnel,

“The power to direct that a Potentially Infected Person shall immediately go to a place specified for screening and assessment, or the removal of such person where the person refuses or fails to go to a place specified for screening and assessment,

“The power to restrict or prohibit the gathering of persons in any part of Abia State such as conferences, meetings, festivals, private events, religious services, public visits, etc,

“The power to order the temporary closure of public places such as event centers, bars, places of worship, educational institutions and other such public places within the State,

“The power to order temporary closure of markets save for the sale of essential products such as food and pharmaceutical products

“The power to direct against the hoarding of goods and the inflation of prices of goods and services

“The power to direct the forfeiture of foods, drugs and other essential goods to the State where the owners engage in hoarding or inflation of prices

“The power to assume such Omnibus Powers as he shall deem necessary to ensure the protection of the people of Abia State.

“The Regulations also create Offences for which any person who breaches the Regulations shall be liable under the relevant laws to fine or imprisonment or both in accordance with extant laws” the statement said.

While warning that ignorance of the law is not an excuse, Ikpeazu said full copies of the Regulations are available at the Office of the Honorable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, as well as that of the Honorable Commissioner for Information, Abia State.

He warned that people should be guided.

The inspector-general of police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the immediate redeployment of Dandaura Mustapha, the commissioner of police in Rivers state.

Frank Mba, force public relations officer, announced Mustapha’s redeployment in a statement on Friday.

He said Joseph Mukari has been appointed as the new police commissioner in the state while Mustapha is now the commissioner of police, provost at the force headquarters, Abuja.

In the statement, Mba said: “The Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has ordered the posting and redeployment of the following Senior Police Officers to Command/Formation/Department indicated against their names:

• CP Dandaura Mustapha – CP Provost FHQ, Abuja
• CP Joseph Gobum Mukan, psc(+) – CP Rivers Command
• CP Musa Adze, fdc – CP Anti-Fraud Unit

“The IGP charges the affected Commissioners of Police to diligently and professionally discharge their duties in their new areas of responsibilities.

“The posting and the redeployment of the affected Senior Police Officers are with immediate effect.”

The development comes one week after Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, locked horns with the federal government over the arrest of some pilots.

Wike on Friday ordered the arrest and quarantine of 22 Exxon Mobil staff who entered the state from Akwa Ibom for allegedly violating the executive order on lockdown.

Wike had previously ordered the arrest of two pilots of Caverton Helicopters for flying some oil workers into the state during the lockdown.

The company had argued that the federal government exempted it from the flight ban but the governor dismissed the argument and the pilots were arraigned in court and remanded in prison.

Hadi Sirika, minister of aviation, later faulted the action of the governor, accusing the security operatives who arrested the pilots on the governor’s order of “displaying ignorance”.

The pilots were later granted bail. It is unclear if the development led to the replacement of Mustapha who took over the Rivers police command in July.

Earlier on Friday, Wike had tackled Sirika, accusing the federal government of attempting to make the people of the state vulnerable to coronavirus.

The leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has commenced the distribution of food palliatives to indigenes in the old Eastern region of the country as part of efforts to ameliorate their sufferings over the COVID-19 lockdown.

ABN TV gathered that media houses in Abia State have also benefitted from the food palliatives.