Rivers releases 22 detained Exxon Mobil workers

The Rivers state government has released the 22 Exxon Mobil workers who were arrested for violating movement restriction orders.

Zaccheus Adangor, the state attorney-general and commissioner of justice, said the workers were released without any charges.

Adangor said the oil workers were released after the interventions of well-meaning Nigerians.

The workers were detained at the state isolation centre, Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt.

They were arrested after entering the state from Akwa Ibom.

Nyesom Wike, the state governor, had issued an executive order restricting movements to check the spread of the coronavirus.

The order stipulates that health authorities ascertain the coronavirus status of those entering the state.

After the arrest, Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police, had ordered the immediate redeployment of Dandaura Mustapha, the commissioner of police in Rivers state.

Joseph Mukari was named as his replacement while Mustapha was announced the commissioner of police, provost at the force headquarters, Abuja.

Wike had previously ordered the arrest of two pilots of Caverton Helicopters for flying some oil workers into the state during the lockdown.

The company had argued that the federal government exempted it from the flight ban but the governor dismissed the argument and the pilots were arraigned in court and remanded in prison.