The Rivers State Government has ordered the Local Government Council Chairmen to shut down all Carveton Helicopters offices, and it's operations in the state.

This directive is as a result of the suspicious operations done by the Carveton Helicopters which is endangering the lives of Rivers State people.

This was confirmed by Governor Nyesom Wike in a State Broadcast on Wednesday. He said: "We appreciate the need to protect business interests andoperations in the State and we will do whatever that is required to ensure that no business is unduly affected by the measures we have taken to combat the Coronavirus. 

"However, we shall not welcome businesses or companiesthat value their business activities or profit more than or in cleardisregard of the lives and health of our people.'

"By its actions Calverton Helicopters have clearly shown that Rivers lives do not matter to it. It is an enemy of Rivers people and is hereby declared persona non grata in Rivers State."

 "With this declaration Calverton Helicopters can only chose to operate in any part of Rivers State at its own risk as Local Government Chairmen have been directed to close their officesand prevent their operations."

"Their morbid intention is to create panic by pushing up theinfection rate and rubbish the robust measures we have since put in place to cut off the spread of the virus and keep our Stateand our citizens safe and secure from the ravaging pandemic.

"As expected, and required by our laws, the crew and the passengers  on board  that  ill-fated  helicopter  were  promptly arrested  by  the  law  enforcement  personnel  and  are  beingprosecuted  before  our  courts  in  line  with  our  COVID-19 Declarations and Containment Orders."

 "Calverton Helicopters claimed to have gotten permits from some federal  agencies  to  fly  passengers  into  the  State , which never bordered to take the State Government into confidence in issuing such permits in violation of our laws and containment orders."

"While federal agencies reserve the  right  to issue flight permits to airline operators to fly into Rivers State, we insist that the State Government must equally be informed and taken intoconfidence in the process."

"This the only way to avoid suspicion, conflicts of interests and  unnecessary  bickering  between  the  State  and Federal Governments in our collective efforts to combat the spread of COVID 19 in the country."

"Let me reiterate that for us, COVID 19 in Rivers State is a matter of life and death,  and we will  never succumb  to any blackmail  from  any  person,  institution or  authority  in  our determination  to  protect  our citizens  and  our  State from  the spread of this deadly virus."

"Since we triggered the law on Calverton Helicopters, we have  seen  and  read  all  sorts  of  hilarious  and  frivolous comments,  particularly  on  social  media,  questioning  the propriety of our actions against the carrier and its passengers."

"At  this  time  and  under  the  present  situation,  nothing;  I repeat; nothing, is more important to us than to safeguard thelives and wellbeing of our citizens no matter the cost, and we shall spare no efforts to achieve this singular most fundamental objective of our Government."

"We  have  sworn  to  protect  the  lives  and  advance  the wellbeing our people, and nothing can stop us from taking all necessary  steps  to  prevent  or  stop  any  person,  action  or activities that would endanger the lives of our citizens."