Police arrest two pilots for flying expatriates into Rivers State despite airspace closure

Rivers state commissioner of Police (CP), Mustapha Dandura Tuesday said he arrested two pilots who flew yet to be identified passengers into the state, despite the border, airport closure order.

The Passengers who are suspected to be expatriates are said to have entered the state through Carveton Helicopters.

Dandaura disclosed this while briefing Governor Nyesom Wike at the command head office in Port Harcourt Tuesday. He told Wike that the command arrested the pilot and co-pilot who ferried the passengers into the state.

The CP said that the pilots violated the regulations regarding the safety of the state.

He said: “Recall that when this coronavirus issues started, there was ban of local flight from coming into the State. Since that time we have been monitoring the activities of these private airlines.

“To our surprise, we received an intelligence report that an aircraft has landed at the Airforce base and that it was carrying some passengers.

“We have apprehended the Pilot and the Co-pilot and that’s why they alerted the chief executive Governor of the state who had given an order that on no account should any aircraft land on Rivers State without clearance.

“We don’t know the people they brought. Whether they are positive or negative of Coronavirus. Where are they heading to and where they came from. He commended Governor Wike for his commitment to the protection of Rivers people.