Lockdown: Rivers court sends 10 passengers of Caverton helicopters to prison

A Port Harcourt Chief Magistrates’ Court presided over by Chief Magistrate D. D. Ihua-Maduenyi Esq on Wednesday morning ordered the remand of 10 passengers who flew into the Air Force Base Port Harcourt on board the Twin-Otter Caverton Helicopters on Tuesday April 7.

The State Government said the flight was in contravention of paragraph 8 of its Executive Order RVSG-01 2020 .

The Court had remanded two pilots had on Tuesday remanded the pilot and co-pilot of the flight, Samuel Ugorji and Samuel Buhari for operating the alleged illegal flight.

The Pilots, who pleaded not guilty to a four-count charge preferred against them by the State were ordered to be remanded at any government facility to enable medical personnel from the State carry out test to determine their coronavirus (COVID-19) status.

The prosecution team was led by Prof. Zacheus Adangor, Hon. Attorney-General And Commissioner for Justice, Rivers State.

The 10 passengers were arraigned via charge number: PMC/533C/2020

The 10 defendants are:
1. NWOGU CHIBUNA ‘M’, AGED 39YRS
2. PETER MICHAEL ‘M’AGED 43YRS
3. AJAGBA IHEAYIN ‘M’ AGED 35YRS
4. EKPEREWECHI OGUGUO ‘M’AGED 43YRS
5. NSIKAN PIUS ‘M’ AGED 38YRS
6. ABANOBI CHINOSO ‘M’AGED 27YRS
7. UDOH HAGAN ‘M’AGED 28YRS
8. OKACHUKWU CHUKS ‘M’ AGED 41YRS
9. GODDY CHUKU ‘M’AGED 42YRS
10. OOMERURIKE CHIJIOKE ‘M’AGED 43YRS

They were arrested at the Air Force Base , Port Harcourt after the Rivers State Police Command received intelligence on their illegal flight into the State.

They were arraigned on a four-count charge.

COUNT I: That you Nwogu Chibuna ‘m’, Peter Michael ‘m’, Ajagba Iheayin ‘m’, Ekperewechi Oququo ‘m’, Nsikan Pius ‘m’, Abanobi Chinoso ‘m’, Udoh Hagan, Okachukwu Chuks ‘m’, Goddy Chukwu ‘m’ and Oomerurike Chijioke ‘m being passengers on board the Twin-Otter, Caverton Helicopters on the 7″ day of April, 2020 at Air Force Base, Port Harcourt, in the Port Harcourt Magisterial District, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit misdemeanor to wit: Disobedience to lawful order and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 517 A of the Criminal Code Cap: 37, Vol. 11 Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

COUNT II: That you Nwogu Chibuna ‘m’, Peter Michael ‘m’, Ajagba Iheayin ‘m’, Ekperewechi Oguguo ‘m’, Nsikan Pius ‘m’, Abanobi Chinoso ‘m’, Udoh Hagan ‘m’, Okachukwu Chuks ‘m’, Goddy Chukw ‘m’ and Oomerurike Chijioke ‘m’ on the same date and place at the aforesaid Magisterial District, did intentionally disobey the lawful order issued by the Governor of Rivers State as contained in paragraph 8 of the Executive Order RVSG – 01 2020 made Pursuant to Sections 2, 4 and 8 of Quarantine Act, Cap. Q2 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Regulation 11 of the Quarantine (Corona Virus (Covid-19) and other Infectious Diseases) Regulations, 2020 by transiting into Port Harcourt after disembarking from Twin-Otter Caverton Helicopters at Air Force Base, Port Harcourt and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 5 of the Quarantine Act Cap. Q2 LFN, 2004.

COUNT III: Nwogu Chibuna ‘m’, Peter Michael ‘m’, Ajagba Iheayin ‘m’, Ekperewechi Oguguo ‘m’, Nsikan Pius ‘m’, Abanobi Chinoso ‘m’, Udoh Hagan ‘m’, Okachukwu Chuks ‘m’, Goddy Chukw ‘m’ and Oomerurike Chijioke ‘m’ on the same date and place at the aforesaid Magisterial District, did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by disembarking from Twin-Otter Caverton Helicopters at Air Force Base, Port Harcourt and transiting into Port Harcourt and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 249(d) of the Criminal Code Laws of Rivers State of Nigeria, 1999.

COUNT IV: Nwogu Chibuna ‘m’, Peter Michael ‘m’, Ajaqba Theayin ‘m’, Ekperewechi Oguguo ‘m’, Nsikan Pius ‘m’, Abanobi Chinoso ‘m’, Udoh Hagan ‘m’, Okachukwu Chuks ‘m’, Goddy Chukw ‘m’ and Oomerurike Chijioke ‘m’ on the same date and place at the aforesaid Magisterial District. did intentionally disobey the order issued by the Governor of Rivers State on restrict within the State contrary to paragraph 8 the Executive Order RVSG – 01 2020 and an offence punishable under Section 203 of the Criminal Code Laws .

Superintendent of Police, Gladys Imegu, officer-in-charge, Legal/Prosecutions of the Rivers State Police Command was part of the prosecution.