Needam Gogorobari, Owner of Prodest Hotel that was demolished by the Rivers state government for violating the lockdown, has raised an alarm over threat to the life of his employee, Dr Bariledum Azoroh, who managed the hotel.
Azoroh was placed under a compulsory quarantine as ordered by a state Magistrate court for flouting the government directive.
Gogorobari, in a statement, claimed there is a sinister move by the government to declare his employee COVID-19 positive to justify their “heinous crime.”
He said, “I've it on good authority, based on intelligent report reaching me today (24th May 2020) that the manager of Prodest Hotel in Eleme, Dr Bariledum Job Azoroh, who a prisoner of the Rivers State Government has been framed up by an unorthodox hired medical officers recruited by Governor Wike with a report that he has tested positive to COVID-19 whilst in detention with the Rivers State Government.
“The illegal detention facility is in Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt and the Federal Government have since kicked against all forms of illegal detention in Rivers State. The administration of Governor Wike has no regard for the rule of law and feelings for the poor masses.
“You will further recall that the manager was held by Governor Wike and kept in this gangster stadium facility and surreptitiously tried and convicted the previous week with a fine of N50,000 and to be isolated for 14 days. This is the worst abuse to citizen’s human rights under the Quarantine Act.
“The Rivers State Government and Governor of Rivers State must be held liable for infecting my manager, who is in their custody for over 15 days, with COVID-19. He was a very healthy person before his arrest. It is, therefore, medically impossible that the infection occurred before his detention. “
“It is a known fact that I and the Rivers State Government are at daggers drawn over the demolition of my hotel. It is a bestial act for the same government to convict my manager and now infect him with the novel Coronavirus. It is also known that the objective of the Governor is to kill my manager and his lawyer by conducting some unorthodox medical tracing to the lawyer.
“President Muhammadu Buhari should step in now to stop the rage of the Governor of Rivers State. He should submit Dr Bariledum Job Azoroh to NCDC in Abuja and stop all further acts in this matter. All concerned are by this advice to go into hiding until the President steps in. This situation requires the full implementation of a state of emergency in Rivers State.”