Kougar Solutions and Allied Services Limited, in partnership with Hikvision on Tuesday donated a thermal and artificial intelligence machine to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the territory.
Presenting the machine to the administration in Abuja, the Group Managing Director of Kougar Solutions and Allied Services, Mr. Rony Melhem said the artificial intelligence system detects normal and abnormal temperature of an individual when he walks through it.
Speaking on the reason for the gesture, Melhem said; “As the COVID-19 pandemic has become a global challenge, we all should be allies in this battle against the pandemic. There is need for all to partner to end the disease, and to defeat the virus the solidarity and cooperation are the most potent weapon needed.
“COVID-19 should be seen as a joint battle that required all of us to come together to fight, in the spirit of cooperation and brotherhood to overcome the pandemic”.
He further stated that the thermal and facial recognition features that comes with the machine captures the facial image of the person as well as detects those not wearing facial masks and also detect the temperature.
Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu receives thermal and artificial intelligence machine donated to the Federal Capital Territory Administration by Kougar Solutions and Allied Services Limited, in partnership with Hikvision.
Melhem said; “anyone with high fever passing through the machine or not wearing a face mask, there is a prompter pointing out those defects, thus making detection of symptoms of COVID-19 earlier than required”.
He expressed appreciation to the rapid response of the federal government, the Presidential Task Force (PTF), professional efforts of medical personnel and other frontline workers, stressing that their efforts had contributed to the recovery of many patients of the COVID-19.
Unveiling the machine on behalf of the administration, FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, thanked the firm for donating the artificial intelligence system to assist the administration to contain the spread of the virus.
Aliyu noted that the machine would in no small measure assist the administration to detect the number of people that need to be tested for coronavirus, stressing that all hands must be on deck in the battle against the dreaded disease.
(L-R) Chairman, FCT league of Imams Initiative Dr Tajudeen Adigun, FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu and Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, during the meeting between the FCTA and religious leaders in the FCT.
TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA
Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, the FCT Minister has given reason why places of worship cannot yet re-open in the nation’s capital.
Bello made this known when he receive in his office the FCTA and representatives of the FCT Christian and Muslim communities led by the FCT Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairman, Dr Samson Jonah and the FCT League of Imams Initiative, Dr Tajudeen Mohammed Bello Adigun.
According to him, the FCT is guided by advise from medical experts and guidelines from the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 which had directed that all measures approved two weeks earlier be extended for another two weeks and these include the restriction on religious gatherings.
His words: “based on the guidance of the medical experts and consultations with highest authority, the Presidential Task Force gave a decision and communication on the fact that all the measures approved two weeks ago be extended for another period of time to enable organisations, individuals and all of us plan for a gradual opening up of the society”.
He further stated that the meeting acknowledged that the primary concern of all leaders and public officials was to save lives and this involves monitoring very closely reports from the health authorities which indicate that after 9 weeks of the pandemic and attempts to curtail its spread not much has changed”
He explained that all actions on the re-opening of the society is hinged on the advice of medical experts who at the moment do not support it.
R-L) Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, Chairman, FCT League of Imams Initiative, Dr Tajudeen Adigun and Chairman, FCT Christian Association of Nigeria, Dr Samson Jonah during the meeting between the FCTA and religious leaders in the FCT.
The Minister continued : the leaders of the religious organisations have agreed to work towards the eventual opening up of worship places at a time to be determined by the Presidential Task Force, based on medical advice.
Bello explained, a team consisting of representatives of the religious organisations and their leadership, as well as the FCT has been constituted to gradually look at what the modalities and protocols of operating places of worship will be when COVID-19 lockdown of the FCT is relaxed.
He said that such modalities were not new considering that certain protocols were put in place at the height of insecurity in the country when religious places were the targets for terrorists.
He added that: certain protocols such as use of face masks compulsory hand washing and social distancing will have to be adhered to when places of worship eventually re-open the Minister said.
This, he continued, will also include the identification and placement of modalities for the decontamination of all places of worship adding that these protocols are necessary so that when eventually places of worship are re-opened, they will be done with minimal risks to the worshippers.
The religious leaders in their comments appreciated the efforts of the FCT Administration in the fight against COVID-19 especially in the distribution of palliatives and the meeting agreed that whatever palliatives were available following the extension of the lockdown will also be re-distributed through the organs and structures of the religious organisations.
The meeting was called at the behest of the religious leaders who requested for the re-opening of places of worship in the FCT, following pressure from their followers.
Also at the meeting were the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, the Permanent Secretary of the FCTA, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, the Acting Secretary of the health and Human Services Secretariat, Dr Mohammed Kawu and other leaders of the Muslim and Christian communities in the FCT.
The FCT Ministerial taskforce on the enforcement of COVID-19 restriction on Tuesday sealed off Pacific Hotel and Guest Inn for violating the presidential order on hotels due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The sealing of the Guest Inn was made possible following a court order granted by the FCT Magistrate Court sitting at the Eagle Square.
The Presiding Chief Magistrate Idayat Akanni said the Guest Inn was sealed off for breaches the presidential order of lockdown for a period of one week.
The Chairman of the taskforce, Comrade Ikharo Attah made this known while briefing newsmen on the development, saying, several people who were seen eating and drinking were arrested, before the Guest Inn was sealed.
According to him: “Last weekend we got a report that a wide and an elaborate party was held at the Pacific Hotel and Guest Inn, Nyanya. We sent security operatives the next day to go there and check. And when the team went there to check the next day they saw large crowd of people in there bar eating and drinking.
“Some of them were arrested while others ran away. Those arrested were taken to mobile court and the mobile court judge actually fined them N5, 000 and they engaged them in community service.
“We asked the manager why they disobeyed the presidential order. He said it is beyond him, that it is the owner of the hotel that gave order the the hotel must remain open and parties and other activities should be allowed to go on.
“So we prayed the Judge to grant us an order to scale up the hotel which the Judge graciously granted the order and we went there today and carried out the court order”.
Attah said the hotel remain closed until when the chairman and management of the hotel appears before the Judge and the judge: “gives a verdict or vacate the closed down order, that is the hotel will be reopen”.
He also disclosed that along the same Abuja/Nasarawa border, 50 persons were arrested and turned back to Zanfara for violating the COVID-19 restitution order.
He further stated that, “We also went to the Abuja/Nasarawa border post where we saw intensive search going on and many persons had to spent hows there for no fault of theirs but the truth is that we have been able to get so many persons on that particular point. Just yesterday we got some persons there saying that they left Akwanga heading to Yanfara carrying some food items and when we opened the tappoline, we saw over 50 persons. We turned them back to Akwanga where they were coming from”.
The family of Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, has donated food and personal protective gears to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to support its palliative drive in the battle against COVID-19 pandemic in the territory.
While presenting the items to the administration, the representative of the family under the auspises of Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation, Malam Shehu Umaru Yar’Adua, commended the doggedness of all the health workers, stressing that their dedication to service in these challenging times should serve as an example to other professional bodies.
He also noted that the efforts of federal government, the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, FCT Ministerial Expert Advisory Committee on COVID-19, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for their diligence in service.
His words, “My family, NGO (Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation) and I extend our deepest respect and gratitude to the government of Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Presidential Task Force on Control of COVID-19, FCT Ministerial Expert Advisory Committee on COVID-19, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and to all those working in the healthcare profession for their selfless commitment and diligence as they undertake vitally important roles in our country’s fight against the ongoing pandemic.
Dr Ramatu Tijani Aliyu recieves Ya’Adua’s Family Donations to FCTA
“In difficult times, we often discover the best in ourselves, the dedication to service of doctors, nurses, lab technicians and other health workers, in these challenging times, is an example to us all,” Yar’Adua stated.
While receiving the items on behalf of the Administration, FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, commended the Yar’Adua’s family for the gesture, stressing that the move would be exemplary to other notable families in the country.
According to her: “We are happy to receive our former first family eminently represented by three eminent sons. This donation will no doubt go a long way to cushion the effect of COVID-19 on the residents of the territory and by extension entire Nigerians.
Dr Ramatu Tijani Aliyu recieves Ya’Adua’s Family’s Donations to FCTA
“To me it is special because it is exemplary. This is a way to tell others that you can move out of your comfort zone to touch lives. In touching lives, you will not know that the little gesture might go a long way also to assist other people. This is telling us that they do care in the performance of their corporate social responsibility”.
Items donated include 1000 pieces of N95 face masks, 13,000 pieces of surgical masks, 1,800 bars of soap, 23,100 sachets of detergent, 100 cartons of macaroni, 100 bags of semovita and 100 bags of rice.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has extended hands of fellowship to the management of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP) in the distribution of pallatives.
The FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu while delivering the items to the management of NAPTIP led by its Director General said NAPTIP is as an organisation that tackles one of the very serious challenges of child abuse among vulnerable families in the country.
Aliyu also said that the gesture was to cushion the effect of sit-at-home directive among the vulnerable members of the society under the purview of the management of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person, stressing that the activities of the organisation in curbing child and human rights abuse stands out.
Her words, “While welcoming the D.G NAPTIP and her management team, we want to also appreciate them for the wonderful work they are doing in various communities NAPTIP happens to be an organisation that tackles one of the very serious challenges we have as regards the vulnerable groups of the society facing girl child and women’s rights abuse.
FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu while delivering the items to the management of NAPTIP led by its Director General NAPTIP
“Even though we are yet to form the critical mass that is required to support this organisation in the fight against the anomaly, NAPTIP still stands out in this country. And we know under her purview, are these vulnerable ones of both sex and age.
“On this note we appreciate and extend the palliative distribution to the vulnerable ones under your purview for we know they are not captured by the Area Councils. We have also identified other groups that are not captured in the Area Councils list and I can assure you that palliative items would be extended to them because no segment of the society will be left out”.
Receiving the items on behalf of the management staff, the Director General of NAPTIP, Dame Julie Okah-Donli, thanked the FCT Administration for recognizing the role of NAPTIP in the society, while assuring that the items would be distributed to the affected members.
Items donated include 20 bags of 50kg rice, 100 cartons of noodles, 20 cartons of hand sanitizers, 3 packs of hand gloves, 5 cartons of maggi seasoning and 50 packs of spaghetti.
Operatives of the FCT Enforcement Team on Congregational worship
TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA
Three pastors in Abuja on Sunday denied their ministries and followers when the operatives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ministerial Enforcement Team on lockdown moved in to arrest them for violating the ban on congregational worship in the nation’s capital.
The Pastors were said to have partitioned a mountain at the Federal Housing area of Lugbe District traded words among themselves and even denied stewardship of their large crowd that were worshipping at the hilltop.
The pastors are: Ibitoye Kayode of the Liberty Faith Gospel Church, Joshua Olaniru of Liberty Gate Ministry and Vitalis Udeazi of Dominion Chapel.
Problem started when the Enforcement team on COVID-19 Restrictions stormed the area following a tip off, but found it difficult to identify worshippers and their religious leaders.
Some of the worshippers being arrested by the task team
After a brief interrogation, the three pastors were indentified from the crowd, even though one of them, Vitalis Udeazi of Dominion Chapel struggled to conceal his identity.
He said none of his members were present at the time the taskforce arrived the mountain top, but this did not go down well with other pastors who protested vehemently that he was one of them.
Luck, however, ran out on him when some members pointed at him as their pastor. He still insisted that they were his prayer members.
For Joshua Olaniru of Liberty Gate Ministry, who argued that he was not among those holding worship session, a resident of the community availed the taskforce of a video clip which showed the cleric holding a worship session, a development which had led to a fight about an hour before the taskforce personnel arrived.
The Chairman of the taskforce, Comrade Ikharo Attah while speaking to the pastors, queried why are you all denying these large groups of worshippers? No one among you agreed that anyone came to worship with them even when they turned out in large numbers. One of you even went ahead to deny being a pastor”.
Meanwhile, another cleric, Pastor Effiong Bassey of the Holiness Revival Ministry Church, Karamajiji was apprehended for holding a church service to mark the 60th birthday of a retired military colonel, P.E Ebong who left the military in 2015.
Attah said while addressing the pastor, “you cannot hold a worship service in defiance of the directives of the Commander in Chief just to mark the 60th birthday of a retired colonel. Even for a serving colonel it is very wrong. You have to come with us and explain it to the magistrate at the mobile court”.
The Clerics were consequently arraigned before a Mobile Court presided over by Magistrate Akonni who found them guilty and fined them N5,000 each in addition to three hours of community service.
The team also shut down the informal sector at the Dutse Alhaji market which was fully in operation on Sunday in contravention of the Administration’s guidelines. Four traders were arrested and arraigned at the Mobile court.
… Unhealthy Surgical Masks Disposal Can Add To The Risks Of Contracting Covid-19
TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA
Compliance to the public health advisories should be taken as a civic duty and obligation for every citizen, where each should be responsible for the other. As such, enforcement or policing should not be necessary, for what is meant to preserve life and health,The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire has said .
He, however called for considerate attitude and social adjustment to the challenges we face at this moment.
The minister made this disclosure at the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, on Friday in Abuja, while reiterating the importance of adhering to public health advisories (wearing our face masks, observing social distancing, practicing hand washing or sanitizing, standard respiratory hygiene, avoiding crowds and all non-essential travel).
According to him, ” 193 new covid-19 cases were confirmed in the past day in 15 states- Lagos(58), Kano(46), Jigawa(35), Yobe (12), FCT(9), Ogun(7), Plateau(5), Gombe(5) Imo(4), Edo(3), Kwara(3), Borno(3), Bauchi (1), Nasarawa (1), Ondo(1), bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria over the 5,000 line to 5,162 in 34 States and the FCT. Till date, 1180 patients have been treated and discharged from hospital care and 167 deaths have sadly been recorded. The case gender ratio remains about 70 to 30 percent for men and women respectively, while case fatality hovers around 3%.
He further stated that, a steady rise in these figures is what we envisage with more diligent testing, treatment, Isolation and tracing. Ability and capacity to keep up and align these activities with each other will determine the course of events as time goes on.
We implore States and partners not to relent, but to keep up with the pace, which, in some States will increase well before it begins to decrease. Adherence to advisory against interstate travel and compliance with other simple measures like use of masks and avoiding crowds will significantly mitigate the burden, the minister added.
Ehanire said that a strategy document of National Primary Healthcare development Agency is being developed and repurposed for application to Kano; but also to similar high density, high burden metropoles like Lagos to respond more specifically to the challenges of COVID-19 tracing, tracking, testing, Isolation and treatment in congested communities. If implemented it could go a long way in addressing many challenges looming before us.
Speaking on the issue in Kano , he said the situation has largely stabilized, thanks to the good relationship between the visiting Federal task team and Kano State Task force on COVID-19, one manifestation of this being the high number of new cases recorded daily from the fact that all labs in Kano are now functioning and clearing the sample backlog, with over 350 tests done daily. The State government has been doing well in opening up more treatment and Isolation centers.
Accordibg to him, “an innovation of the FMoH Kano task team is the Training of journalists to take place tomorrow, the aim of which is to ensure reporters are in a better position to interpret covid-19 related data and information and also learn to take necessary infection prevention measures. I shall use this opportunity to thank His Excellency, the Governor of Kano State for providing the necessary support for the Federal team to function.
“A Federal Ministry of Health team has been assembled to proceed to Sokoto and Bornu on fact finding and support missions; to engage with State authorities and determine material and technical needs. A most immediate probability is the prioritization of these States for the deployment of repurposed Gene Xpert machines as soon as we start receiving the cartridges in a few weeks to bring speed to testing.
“As mentioned earlier part of the mission in Kano is to assist State pathologists and scientists to unravel the mysteries around unexplained deaths in some States. The tools for forensic investigation have been jointly developed for a uniform approach and balanced results.
“We were able to persuade Mrs Susan Idoko-Okpe, now popularly known as the Benue Lady, to allow a test sample to be taken to our laboratory for testing yesterday; the result is being awaited any time now and it will be given to her in person. Please note that, while a patient may disclose their result by themselves, the FMoH cannot do so, except with the permission of the one concerned.
“The annual World Health Assembly, held every year in Geneva, shall begin on Monday 17th May, and hold this year for the first time by teleconference. I shall be leading the Nigerian team to the virtual meeting, the focus of which is expected to be the global spread and response to COVID-19, requirin individual and collective effort”, he buttressed.
Collaborating the Minister’s point on the compliance to the public health advisories with compulsion, the Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu said behaviour should not be regulated by enforcement.
While adding that, “We don’t require another Government intervention that has been imposed onto us. It is important for us to survive, to keep our families safe, friends alive, people that we care for and ourselves it is something we need to do for ourselves and to do it for ourselves means we don’t need any suppervision to wear masks, we don’t need the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force, you don’t need the policeman stopping you on the road to insist that you wear a mask.
“In many states we have been hearing of taxi drivers who give people masks to wear when they entered their cars so that the Police doesn’t stop them. This completely defeat the purpose of this measures. We must remember that these are life saving measures that we need to carry out for ourselves.
“If you are wearing a disposable surgical masks, it is important that we think about disposal, there are many ways to do this safely, you buy a polythene bag out them inside , tie them and out in the waste, this will help keep them from people picking masks to sell, this can also add to the risk that we all face”, he added
Honorable Minister, FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello (left) and the GMD, NNPC Mallam Mele Kyari during the courtesy visit by the FCT Minister to the NNPC Corporate Headquarters.
TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will receive a boost in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic when the 70 bed Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) hospital at Utako District of the City, currently under renovation is completed and put to use.
Tthe FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello made this known on Friday when led a delegation from the FCTA on a courtesy visit to the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari at the Corporation’s Headquarters in Abuja.
Bello thanked the NNPC and the entire oil and gas industry for their support to the FCT in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
While also acknowledging the positive role the NNPC has played in the development of the city over the years and the Corporation’s plans to develop a world class medical facility in the Territory.
Bello, however, revealed that the Corporation has been allocated a piece of land at the proposed Abuja Medical City Development Project located at the Phase 2 development area of the city for the construction of the medical facility in conjunction with its partners in the oil and gas industry.
He said that on completion, the medical facility will also serve as a development catalyst for the area just as the NNPC Towers has attracted development to the Abuja City Center after its construction over 20 years ago.
According to him, “when reputable organisations like the NNPC and associations in the oil and gas industry set up a project, it will serve as a magnet that will attract other investments and we will all be the better for it”
Honourable Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello(left) presenting a gift to the GMD NNPC Mallam Mele Kyari (right) during a courtesy visit by the FCT Minister to the NNPC GMD at the NNPC Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
He also revealed that an international financial multilateral organisation of which the Federal Government is a shareholder along with 26 other African countries has also been allocated a plot for the construction of a center of excellence for the provision of medical services also at the Abuja Medical City Development Project.
Also, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Malm Mele Kyari who led the FCT delegation on a tour of the 70 bed hospital which includes 10 Intensive Care Units, commended the FCT Administration for its efforts in handling the COVID-19 pandemic in the Territory saying that the medical personnel of the FCTA, despite the challenges posed by the Coronavirus always responded promptly and professionally whenever their services were required.
Kyari also used the occasion to reveal that the NNPC had plans to construct a world class international convention center in the city saying that the existing ones were inadequate.
On the entourage of the FCT Minister were the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, the Chief of Staff to the Minister, Malam Bashir Mai-Borno, the Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engr Umar Gambo Jibrin and other senior staff of the FCT Administration.
…Sets Guidelines For Operations In Agricultural Sector.
TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA
The Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has assured farmers in the nation’s capital of the Administration’s commitment to step up the provision of support towards the attainment of food security amist the relaxation of the lockdown amidst the Covid 19 pandemic.
The Acting Secretary, Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat Mr. Ibe Prospect Chukwuemeka made this known when he issued the Safety Protocols for Agricultural activities in the FCT.
He hinted that the measure is to mitigate the spread of the disease, saying, the Agricultural Sector as you know is key to our collective desire to attain food security and job creation. This is why the FCT Administration is putting in place these measures aimed at protecting our farmers as they go about their various Agricultural activities.
He added that, the FCT Administration under the leadership of Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello and the Minister of State Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu are in discussions at various levels with the AfDB, Central Bank of Nigeria and other Corporate organisations towards the actualisation of the food secutity, wealth creation and empowerment of FCT residents, through the implementation of various initiatives that will propel the growth of the sector in the FCT as wel as other routine support programmes.
The operational guidelines covers 5 key sectors which includes: Abattoir and slaughter slabs; Veterinary Clinics ; Livestock Markets; Fish processing Facilities ; and Agric Extension Services.
The guideline are: Strict Surveillance of all entry points into the FCT to ensure that meat brought into the FCT are duly certified by Veterinary officials to be safe for consumption; The use of infrared thermometers will be mandatory for all those entering the facilities; Protective items such as hand sanitizers and running water with antibacterial soap will be kept at the entry points into the facilities which must be used before access is allowed into any of the facilities; and The use of face masks is to become mandatory.
In addition, Veterinary health officials Butchers, Fish vendors as well as handlers of live birds cattle, goat and sheep will be required to use hand gloves and boots; The use of disinfectants for cleaning will be made more frequent in all the facilities especially the abattoirs; Dealers of Agricultural inputs and food items will be encouraged to use transparent materials to cover them.
h. In order to avoid congestion at the various facilities, social distancing measures will be adopted and enforced at all the facilities ; and Agric. Extension workers shall adopt social distancing measures in conducting their training progrrammes.
While soliciting the understanding and support of the public the Acting Secretary disclosed that a monitoring team has been put in place to ensure implementation and compliance.
Inter state Violators coming out of the truck with their luggages
TOYIN ADEBAYO, ABUJA
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ministerial Enforcement Task Team on COVID-19 restrictions has arrested twenty seven (27) Violators of the interstate travel ban in Zuba , a boarder town to Kogi , Kaduna and Niger states.
The 27 travellers were hidden in Dangote trucks, conveying bags of rice and onions from Zaria in Kaduna.
It was revealed that, luck ran out of the travellers when men of the FCT enforcement team insisted on seeing the content of the trucks.
They were latter arraigned at the Zuba Mobile Court, where the presiding Magistrate, Ebiwari Damini convicted the driver, Olalekan Wasiu and other passengers for violating the ban on interstate travelling imposed by President Buhari to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
Unfortunately, unlike the previous sentences, the magistrate who fined the driver five thousand Naira (N5,000) ruled that the Dangote company’s truck used to transport the violators be impounded until after the interstate travel restriction is lifted.
He also ruled that those caught should be guided out of the FCT to the place of departure.
Speaking to newsmen, after the judgement, the Chairman of the FCT Ministerial Enforcement Task Team on Covid-19, Comrade Ikharo Attah, lauded the verdict by the magistrate, saying that it would deter violators of the interstate travel ban.
He stated that, , “Now that the truck drivers know that whenever they are caught transporting people from one state to another, their trucks would not be released, they would stop such act”
Attah appealed to Nigerians to be mindful of their health”, decrying that “A situation in which people are hidden in between bags of onions in trucks and covered with tarpoline, as it is in this case, is not good for their health. Some even hid on the floor of trucks carrying cattle, which is also not hygienic.”
Inter-state ban violators arrested in Abuja
He also warned Management of Dangote company, who are the owners of most of the trucks used for this illegal act must do all to ensure their trucks which are meant for haulage of goods are not converted to be illegally transporting persons from one state to another, thus violating the lockdown directive of the president”.
Speaking while pleading for mercy, the driver of The Dangote truck, Olalekan Wasiu admitted that after delivering items in Zaria, he was hired by someone to convey food items to Edo State, adding that he had to carry passengers to increase his profit.
In a related development, a mobile court sitting at Dei-Dei also cconvicted two buse drivers who were coming from Minna, Niger State for violating the same travel ban. They were fined by the magistrate who also ruled that they be returned to Niger State where they came from.
