On the second day of the impromptu lockdown imposed by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Bonny Local Government Area, residents have raised alarm over the spate of hunger and lack of access to medical facilities in the area.

Kristina Reports observed that from the Coal Beach to the Bonny Roundabout to Ayambo, Aganya, Akiama, Abalamabie, Bagg Jumbo to Finima and other communities, there was total compliance to the lockdown.

Security operatives drawn from the Bonny and Finima Divisions of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), 146 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the Nigerian Navy, among others, were also sighted manning various intersections in the area.

In a chat with Kristina Reports, Vice Chairman of Bonny LGA, Anengi Barasua expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance, saying that across every part of the LGA people stayed indoors with the streets empty.

“I’m impressed. The residents of Bonny LGA actually complied with the order of the Governor to stay at home. There is complete compliance to the order. They are locked down in their homes.”

“We went round from Beach to Finima down to Abalamabie and I am highly impressed. This shows that indeed they are trying to fight the virus and to prevent it from spreading.”

According to her, “the Governor has intervened in the right direction to stop the proliferation of this pandemic because prior to this time we had cases of people being sick, people losing their sense of taste and smell, people dying; as of two, three weeks ago we were still trying to confirm what is actually the cause of these deaths.”

“And then NCDC people came and they confirmed that we had Covid-19 cases here in Bonny. So, the Governor has taken the right step in the right direction to lock down the entire Bonny Local Government.”

On his part, President of the Bonny Graduates Forum (BGF), Awoiyeala Allison told Kristina Reports that the level of compliance in the area was satisfactory, urging the State Government to address the yearning of the people for palliatives given the hardship occasioned by the sudden imposition of the lockdown.

“I must commend the residents of Macaulay Street for their high level of compliance to the lockdown. In my street here (Macaulay Street) there is total compliance. Everybody is inside their houses in compliance to the order of the Governor. I am impressed by the level of compliance.”

“I must say, however, that the sudden announcement of the lockdown has brought obvious hardship to the people and the government needs to look into this. The Governor should as a matter of urgency consider sending palliatives to the people.”

He called on the people of Bonny LGA to see the period of the lockdown as an opportunity to bond better with their loved ones, engage in self-development efforts and also work on their health so that they can come out stronger after the lockdown has been lifted.

A resident of Aganya Community, who simply identified himself as Isinibo explained to Kristina Reports that lockdown and Covid-19 is not our problem. Our problem is hunger and with this lockdown we can’t even fend for ourselves. Let the government come to our aid.”

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Another resident, Angela, who lives in Akiama Community appealed to Governor Wike to send palliatives to residents of the area before hunger will cause a bigger problem that the government cannot manage in the area.

“We are hungry, so hungry that we can’t even stay indoors. As you can see we are all living in this compound but we are outside at our verandah here thinking of how to find food. Even one cup of rice we don’t have and there is no way and nowhere to buy.”

A resident of Ayambo Community, who preferred anonymity, called on the security agencies to monitor the business places around the town, warning that criminal-minded persons maybe taking advantage of the lockdown to loot people’s shops.

“We were sitting in front of our compound last night and we saw some boys moving with large bags which we suspected that were filled with God-knows what. They later passed again to the side they came from earlier. We suspect that they may be going to loot people’s shops.”

She appealed to the Police to closely monitor the business areas around the community especially in the night, saying that “you know that with the lockdown, those living far from their shops or business places cannot go there and these boys may take advantage of it to loot their shops”.

Recall that Governor Wike imposed an impromptu lockdown on Bonny LGA less than four hours to midnight Sunday, June 21, 2020, an action that has elicited resentment from the people of the area given the spontaneous way it was announced, which denied them the opportunity to make plans to stock up their homes with foodstuffs and other necessities.