By Adesina Soyooye
In Rivers State and environs, Governor Nyesom Wike’s signature is selling like hot cakes. It has become a money spinner in the hands of unscrupulous people. They fake it and give to those who are desperate to go about their businesses in the state.
In the face of COVID-19 and the accompanying lockdown in the country, a Pass is needed to be issued by authorising authorities for movements.
In Rivers State, Governor Wike is the only authorising authority. He dubbed any other pass, including those issued by the Police fake. He does not recognise them. He calls them illegal, and accused the DCP Operations, Rivers Police Command, of collecting money from companies to issue them with illegal Passes.
He has opened an ATM business for criminally-minded people. They now either clone it, or scan it, and use it to issue fake passes to individuals and companies.
The bubble burst for some of them on Wednesday when passengerd were hidden inside a trailer carrying building materials. They were intercepted by the Rivers State Task Force on COVID-19 at Rumuigbo. The Task Force was aided by Ijaw youths and residents.
When the trailer was searched the passengers said they paid the sum of six thousand Naira each. They presented Passes, signed by the Governor. And the Passes were easily found to have been scanned.
The lockdown excludes those on essential services. It also excludes those transporting foodstuffs. But it has variously been abused, and reduced to money making ventures. The trucks and trailers transporting foodstuffs and other essential materials, now use it to smuggle in people to various states, especially, to Southern states.
