Two hotels were recently demolished in Nigeria. The authorities in Nigeria Southern Rivers state demolished the hotels with claims of an alleged breach of lockdown rules. These directives were implemented by the state to control the spread of the virus. State Governor Nyesom Wike, who supervised the demolishing of Edemete Hotel and Prodest Home on Sunday, said the operators had disobeyed the rules that hotels should be closed. He added people who had tested positive for Coronavirus stayed in hotels across the state. However, he did not expound if anyone who had Covid-19 had been staying in any of the demolished hotels.
‘Hotels were not operating.’
The managers of both hotels were detained; nevertheless, the owner of Prodest Home has declined that his hotel was open.
“The hotel is not operational, and 70% of the staff were laid off. There were only three people on the site,” Gogorobari Promise Needam explained.
Gogorobari further added that the authorities came in and were expecting a bribe. Furthermore, they said they would allow us to operate if we gave them some money. However, we had no money to offer as we had not been working since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Rivers state government denies the accusation.
The state has 15 active Covid-19 cases and has recorded two deaths. Last Thursday, a lockdown was imposed on the state capital, Port Harcourt. Nigeria 4,300 confirmed cases of Coronavirus in total. With Lagos, the commercial center at the epicenter. The lockdown that was imposed in Nigeria other states was partially eased at the end of March. Legal experts revealed that the actions of the Rivers state governor could be challenged in court.
Strict lockdown
But the government says Mr. Wike signed an executive order according to him the power to impose the lockdown. The government has been criticized for its lockdown restrictions, which ordered markets and food stores to close. Pharmacists, medical personnel, and other essential workers have also recounted being harassed and, in other cases, arrested for breaking the lockdown rules.
In addition, the authorities have put barriers on the main highway on the eastern border to impose a ban on interstate movement. Authorities further charged Security personnel of trafficking in people under cover of darkness. Officials also plan to auction vehicles held from people who violated the lockdown. Only the few special passes are allowed to move from state to state. However, it looks like those in government house has the document outlining the precise provisions of the executive order as residents of the country say they are not aware of it.
‘Abuse of office.’
Lawyer Ahmed Abass clarified that an executive order could not grant the governor powers to demolish a building. A governor or president crafts an executive order in guidance of the existing law, and it remains within the constitution, which ensures a trial.
“The lawful action Mr. Wike should have taken was to have arrested the hotel owners, taken them to court for them to be prosecuted,” he said.
In addition, Ahmed described the governor’s actions as ” an abuse of office and executive recklessness. ” Mr. Wike personally moved around the state in the first three days of the lockdown. He monitored compliance with the people and said he was satisfied. A video captured him ordering the arrest of two people reaching rules, and he ordered them to be taken to isolation. In a different video, he stated medics were abusing their privilege and accused male doctors of using the opportunity to visit their partners.
Approximately 200 plus people were detained on the first day of lockdown and were moved to isolation centers. In addition, a few days after, a mobile court convicted 170 of them with fines up to (£103, $128). Residents have been struggling under strict lockdown directives, and that might have influenced the government’s decision to ease it. The state announced that residents are allowed to go out on Tuesday and Wednesday the following week for “some air” and to replenish stocks.
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