Lock down: Mobile court convicts 22 defaulters in Delta

From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

The Delta State Police Command on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of 22 lockdown defaulters including two pregnant women, adding that the defaulters were arraigned at the Mobile Court sitting at the Police Headquarters in Asaba.
Police Commissioner in the state, Hafiz Muhammed Inuwah who spoke to Journalists in Asaba, disclosed that the defaulters were arrested at various check points across Asaba metropolis and the expressway, adding that some of the defaulters upon interrogation, confessed to have violated the lockdown order in search of food.
At the court presided over by Magistrate Maurice Okwuasaba , the convicts include: Osinachi Daniel and Sunday Ede who arrested at Umunede Community and were fined N500,00 each for violating the lockdown order, while two persons discharged include: Celestine Eze and Chukwuka Obibi who were arrested at different locations in Okpanam Community
But Eze claimed he was sent by his boss to buy food items for her at the market and was arrested on his way home while Obibi in his defense said he went with his mini bus to buy food stuff at Issele Azagba community.
Meanwhile, the two pregnant women ( names withheld) in their defense said that they were heavily pressed thinking they were due for delivery hence they moved out to stay somewhere, but they were however, convicted for one week or pay a fine of N300,00 each by the Magistrate Maurice Okwuasaba
Also, a member of Covid-19 taskforce, Delta State, Daniel Yingi has identified the abuse of the movement permit by those on essential duties as major challenge of noncompliance to the lockdown directives in the state.
Yingi posited that the stay at home order and social distancing would curb the spread of the dreaded disease, adding” the decision to extend the lockdown then , was good but people are very worried and interested in their stomachs hence they were anxious for it relaxed and it has been done now.”
Yingi who spoke to journalists in Asaba, said that those on essential duties but who were not duties, abused their movement permit during the lockdown, adding” you cannot apprehend oil workers, health workers and government security agents , that is you see people on the streets.”
In another development, philanthropist and frontline, Delta State born Edo resident, Chief Udu Godsent had embarked on food and Personal hygiene products distribution worth millions of Naira, including the distribution of over N4,000,000,00 cash to residents of Delta and Edo states
Items distributed include; 100 cartons of hand sanitizers produced with Vital E, 100bags of 10kg rice, 100packs of power oil ( groundnut oil) 100 facemasks among others.
Chief Godsent who spoke to Journalists in the area said that it became imperative to also help the vulnerable groups with financial and other materials as well as moral support to make life more livable for them, adding that apart from the support rendered to cushion the Covid-19 pandemic, he had in the past, supported orphanage homes.
According to him, “the fight against coronavirus pandemic is one that everyone must take part in for us to succeed and I hope that my actions will inspire others to extend hands of fellowship to those around them because the Government I believe cannot do it alone and everything.”