The PortHarcourt Magistrate Court, Rivers State, has convicted five persons for violating the provisions of the state’s Quarantine Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Other Infectious Diseases Regulations and Executive Orders.

The accused persons were convicted after they pleaded guilty to a five-count slammed on them by the office of the Attorney-General of the state. The court also ordered them to pay fines.

But 33 other persons, who pleaded not guilt were remanded at the Rivers State Isolation Centre to undergo screening for COVID-19 pending the consideration of their bail applications and trial.

The Office of the Attorney General of Rivers State arraigned 38 accused persons before the court.

Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has insisted that the palliatives being distributed across the local government areas were not campaign materials.

The governor spoke while distributing foodstuffs to the less-privileged people in all the wards of Opobo-Nkoro Local Government Area.

Wike, who was represented by the members of the Rivers State COVID-19 Palliative Committee, said that the foodstuffs were meant to cushion the impact of the sit-at-home directive.

The Chairman of the Committee, Amb. Desmond Akawor, who spoke through the Chairman of Ahoada West Local Government Area, Hope Ikiriko, urged leaders in charge of the 11 wards in the area to ensure that the foodstuffs were distributed to the less-privileged.

He said: “The governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has provided the sum of N2bn to purchase food items for the less privileged in the state. He has instructed that these food items should be given to the vulnerable. It is not a campaign material. This is not time for campaign”.

He said that the committee comprising civil society organisations and media practitioners was to ensure a proper monitoring, transparency and adequate distribution of the food items to the less privilege in the society.

Also speaking, Commissioner for Water Resources, Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja expressed gratitude Wike for his show of love to the people of Opobo/Nkoro.

He urged persons saddled with the responsibility of distributing the food items to the people in the area to ensure the palliatives got to the most vulnerable in the council.

Representative of the Amayanabo of Opobo Kingdom, Alabo Godwin Bupo thanked Wike for his kind gesture saying the people were happy receiving the palliative from the government.

Speaking on behalf of the Clergy in the area, Bishop Emmanuel D.Fubara said it took an ingenuity for a governor to understand the plight and need sof the people, particularly at the period of the COVID-19 .