Rivers State government said on Wednesday that the action against Carveton Helicopters continued the previous day with the arrest and arraignment of 10 passengers that were ferried by the two pilots who had been remanded till May 19, 2020.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to Governor Nyesom Wike on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, said a Port Harcourt Chief Magistrates’ Court No. 11 presided over by Chief Magistrate D. D. Ihua-Maduenyi, had ordered the remand of the10 passengers who flew into the Air Force Base Port Harcourt on board the Twin-Otter Carveton Helicopters on Tuesday, April 7, 2020, in alleged contravention of the state’s Executive Order1 of 2020 .
The statement said the defendants pleaded not guilty to a four-count charge preferred against them by the Rivers State government and 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.
According to the statement, the prosecution team was led by Z. Adangor, a professor and Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Rivers State. The 10 passengers were arraigned via charge number: PMC/533C/2020.
Their names were given as Nwogu Chibunna, Peter Michael, Ajagba Iheayin, Ekperewechi Oguguo, Nsikan Pius, Abanobi Chinoso, Udoh Hagan , Okachukwu Chuks, Goddy Chukw, and Oomerurike Chijioke.
The statement said 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.
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They were arraigned on a four-count charge.
COUNT I: That you Nwogu Chibuna ‘m’, Peter Michael ‘m’, Ajagba Iheayin ‘m’, Ekperewechi Oguguo ‘m’, Nsikan Pius ‘m’, Abanobi Chinoso ‘m’, Udoh Hagan , Okachukwu Chuks ‘m’, Goddy Chukw ‘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’, 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.
Earlier on Tuesday, Chief Magistrate D. D. Ihua-Maduenyi Esq remanded the pilot and co-pilot of Twin-Otter Carveton Helicopters, Samuel Ugorji and Samuel Buhari in prison custody for the illegal flight.
Meanwhile, an oil company source said the workers had stayed 28 days instead of 14 days offshore and had to be brought back. The source was of the view that the helicopter company must have obtained all relevant approvals to fly in keeping with due process.
Carveton had issued a statement, saying they obtained two levels of approval to fly; one from the regulatory agency and two the client during emergency periods.
