COVID-19 lockdown: Erring uniform personnel risk arrest, prosecution in Abuja

By Stanley Onyekwere

As the cessation of movement in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) enters its third day, erring uniform personnel irrespective of their positions now risk arrest and prosecution, according to the FCT Ministerial Task Team.
In particular, the Team enjoined uniform personnel who are not on duty during the period to comply with the lockdown order given by President Muhammadu Buhari, to contain the further spread of the dreaded Coronavirus otherwise known as COVID-19 pandemic.
The Team made this assertion while briefing newsmen in Abuja on the level of compliance to the President’s directive by the residents of the nation’s capital.
Chairman, FCT Ministerial Task Team, Comrade Ikharo Attah, frowned at the abuse of the stay at home order by some uniform personnel and other residents, adding that many were regarding it as Labour strike.
Attah however noted that the Minister, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello had given the team the authority to arrest and prosecute any erring individuals no matter the status.
“Some uniform personnel on mufti with their Identification Card, (not on duty) were seen roaming the street busy doing nothing, I accosted one , and he said he came out because his kids were disturbing him at home, thereby flouting the directives of Mr. President.
“We saw some youth gathering in clusters discussing while some play football in some satellite towns of the FCT.
“This shows that most people do not actually understand why the President lockeddown the nation’s capital”, he stressed .
Meanwhile, the FCT Task Team boss, disclosed that as an enforcement group, it has achieved success despite some hitches observed in some satellite towns of FCT.
Furthermore, while rating the level of compliance to the two-week lockdown, he said it’s 85%, and expressed optimism that it will improve as the days go by.
It would be recalled that as measure to contain the rising cases of coronavirus in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday ordered a complete lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and Abuja for an initial period of 14 days with effect from 11 p.m. on Monday.