Aftermath of Pilots arrest: Police redeploy Rivers State commissioner

The Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Mustapha Dandaura, has been redeployed to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to serve as the provost, Force Headquarters

Penpushing reports that, a statement issued on Friday by the spokesperson of the force headquarters, Frank Mba, added that, Joseph Mukan has immediately been posted to River State as the new commissioner.

The statement emphasized that the deployment takes immediate effect,  while it established by Penpushing that deployment of Dandaura came amidst a row between the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and oil companies in the State.

Penpushing recalled that the Governor on Thursday ordered the arrest of 22 employees of ExxonMobil who entered the State from Akwa Ibom State, while the oil workers were on their way to an oil facility in Port Harcourt.

The convoy of the oil workers was intercepted by security officials led by the immediate past police commissioner, while the Governor on his part had signed an executive order barring vehicles and flights from entering Rivers State because of the coronavirus.

Penpushing further reports that, few days ago, two pilots with Caverton Helicopters were arrested, charged to court, and remanded in Port Harcourt prison for flying a helicopter into Port Harcourt, while the Governor accused them of entering the State “illegally” in violation of the lockdown order.

The statement from the Port Harcourt Government House issued during the face-off  quoted Dandaura as saying that the police was surprised to “receive intelligence report” about the Caverton aircraft landing in Port Harcourt after Governor Wike “had given an order that on no account should any aircraft land on Rivers State without clearance”.

“Maybe they are coming here to sabotage the activities of the state and the security agencies that are putting efforts on ground to ensure that Rivers State enjoy peaceful atmosphere throughout this pandemic period”, the former commissioner was quoted saying

Penpushing also reports that, as critics accuse the Governor of trying to disrupt oil production which the federal government considers an essential activity, since Nigeria depends significantly on oil for revenues, he in response said his decisions on the lockdown are aimed at protecting the residents from the deadly coronavirus.