Covid-19: Edo govt threatens lockdown, dismisses court order

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro

The Edo State government has threatened to impose another lockdown if residents of the State fail to follow the directives for Covid-19 vaccination and compliance with the non-Pharmaceutical Intervention (NPIs) in order to halt the spread of the ravaging Delta variant of virus in the State.
Governor Godwin Obaseki who issued the threat at a media briefing on Wednesday in Benin City, denied knowledge of a court order by a High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday, directing the Government to maintain the status quo on the purported compulsory vaccination of its citizens with the COVID-19 vaccine.
Recall that one Charles Osaretin through his Counsel, Echezona Etiaba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had filed a suit marked FHC/PH/FHR/266/2021 against governor Godwin Obaseki and five others.
But the Governor disclosed that Edo State Government has, therefore, instructed its Lawyers to vigorously pursue and challenge all such orders in the courts from where they emanate and if necessary, at the appellate level, while affirming its position as a law-abiding government.
He maintained that residents of the State would be required to show their vaccination cards as proof of Covid-19 vaccination, reiterated that anyone without vaccination card or fail to show proof of vaccination will not be granted access to crowded facilities including Banks, event Centres, political or business, worship Centres across the State
Obaseki also clarified that the scheduled date for the commencement of the enforcement of the directive by the state government in the vaccination drive protecting residents of the State is the second week of September, 2021: Even as he commended religious and traditional rulers as well as Banks for providing vaccination posts for people.