Rivers State Government has postponed its planned total lockdown on Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt councils till Sunday, May 17, as it recorded 16 new cases yesterday.

The total lockdown was supposed to begin today.

Governor Nyesom Wike, during a broadcast yesterday, said the number of confirmed COVID-19 case was the highest since the index case.

His words, “So, there is no room for politics in this matter. We must discharge our abiding duty to use the primary weapons at our disposal to combat this virus and contain its spread, lest we regret the consequences of our inactivity and indiscretions.”

The governor said the decision to begin the total lockdown on Sunday was taken after the State Security Council meeting, which took into consideration the suffering of the people over the last two days.

“In consideration of the foregoing, the concerns of our people, and the need for residents to replenish their supplies, especially, the State Security Council has decided to impose a night time curfew and review the effective date of the complete lockdown on Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt City councils from Thursday, May 14, 2020 to Sunday May 17, 2020 by 8p.m.” he added.

The state has also declared that it will build primary schools on the sites of the two hotels that were demolished in Eleme for flouting COVID-19 lockdown orders.

The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, who announced the government’s decision yesterday, said there was no wisdom in placing money ahead of human lives.

“As we speak, one of the Task Force operatives died last night. Governor Wike and the Rivers State Security Council took the decision to demolish the hotels in the interest of Rivers people.

“Days before that demolition, everyone was aware that the state government sensitized the people on the consequences of flouting Executive Order Six.

“And having demolished the hotels, Governor Wike has approved that a primary school be built on to serve Rivers people. This is what a responsive government will do,” he said.

Nsirim explained that Eleme people were happy with the demolition because Prodest Hotel had been a criminal hideout and a den for cultists led by a wanted PDP Youth Leader

He stressed that the fight against coronavirus in the state has been premised on the rule of law as it was Governor Wike was the first to sign an executive order that led to border closure and other actions before other states followed suit after initial criticisms.