There have been hushed threats of lawsuits against several actions so far taken by Gov Nyesom Wike as governor of Rivers State in his battles against the COVID-19. The governor’s style has bruised some persons and groups.
He has locked down some areas such as Ikokwu Spare parts Market without any timeframe and relief. He has impounded cows and trucks and threatened to sell them off. He has demolished hotels. Each has quietly been consulting towards taking out lawsuits despite pleading at the surface.
Now, the Hausa community in the state has made the first move. A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has fixed the 1st of June to hear a suit filed by the Northern Community in Rivers State against Gov Wike over the seizure of cows and trucks from Adamawa State.
The Northern Community is demanding the sum of N100m as compensation for the arrest of their kinsmen who were in the state on a business trip alongside their cows and trucks.
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The justice, E.O. Obile, fixed the date to allow the plaintiff to put Gov Wike on notice over the case. Counsel for the arrested Northerners, Eze Kpaniku, claimed that the Gov Wike erred in arresting the Northerners, adding that they had waivers from the Federal Government.
Kpaniku also lamented that both his clients and their cows have been arrested and dumped at the Isolation centre without food and medication for days.
Meanwhile, leader of Northern Community in Rivers State, Musa Saidu, has demanded the unconditional release of the arrested persons. He said the Hausa community is the worst hit in the lockdown in port Harcourt as most of their members have been arrested and detained at the isolation center.
The governor has said he was not looking back because he was determined to protect Rivers people, and many important persons have supported his position.
