Mr. Promise Gogorobari, the proprietor of Prodest hotel recently demolished by Rivers State Government over alleged failure to comply with the lockdown directives of Governor Nyesom Wike had alleged plot to kill his manager who has been in detention since the demolition of the facility.
He spoke in response to the claims by the Rivers State government that Manager of the Hotel situated in Eleme, Dr. Bariledum Job Azoroh, was among the new 27 cases of Covid-19 in the State.
Paulinus Nsirim, Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications said the development validates the State Government’s proactive approach towards the fight against COVID-19.
The Commissioner also noted that the hotel Azoroh was managing was demolished two weeks ago because the owners violated Executive Order 7.
“The COVID-19 Task Force members from the Local Government who went to enforce the Executive Order were brutalized and dehumanised leading to the death of one of them,” Nsirim said.
But in a swift reaction, the proprietor of the hotel said his manager must have contracted COVID-19 while he was in the custody of the Rivers State Government.
Gogorobari also alleged that the State Government is planning to poison his manager in the guise of treating him for COVID-19.
He said in a statement released in Port Harcourt: “I have it on good authority based on intelligence report reaching me today – 24th May 2020 that the manager of Prodest Hotel in Eleme, Dr. Bariledum Job Azoroh, who is a now a deliberate and sinister convict of the Rivers State Government and also 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 has since kicked against all forms of illegal detention in Rivers State. The Administration of Governor Wike has no regard for rule of law and feelings for the poor masses.
“You will further recall that the manager was held by the Administration of Governor Wike and kept in this gangster Stadium facility and surreptitiously tried and convicted him last week with a fine of N50,000 and to be isolated for 14 days. This is the worst abuse to citizens 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 demolition of my hotel. It is a bestial act for the same Government to convict my manager and now infect him with the novel Corona virus. It is also known that the object of the Governor is to kill my manager and his lawyer by conducting some unorthodox medical tracing to the lawyer.
“The manager is currently under pressure to take some unorthodox drugs that are non-compliant to the NCDC prescription and treatment procedures.”