By Dayo Johnson – Akure
No fewer than 23 Northerners who flouted the interstate restriction order due to the COVID-19, have been arrested while sneaking into Ondo state in a cement trailer.
Vanguard gathered that they were intercepted by the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) at Gbara-Oke along Ilesha-Akure highway.
The occupants according to the Special Adviser on Transport to the state governor, Mr Tobi Ogunleye “were heading to nowhere in particular in Akure when the vehicle was intercepted.
Ogunleye said “The driver of the truck who spoke in Hausa language explained that he was asked to drop the people in Akure by some people who stopped him along Ilesha/Akure road.
According to him” the driver said he was in IIe Ife, Osun state, to drop cement consignment and was heading towards North when they begged him to drop them in Akure, while most of the people in the truck said they have no place in mind to settle down.
Meanwhile, the Northerners due to the fear of COVID-19, have been asked to return to the spot or village where they were picked by the driver.
Vanguard gathered that the state government has directed that all interstate motor parks across the state must henceforth be under lock and key. This was due to it being worried by the influx of migrants from other parts of the country into the state,
This directive was given sequel to the activities of interstate commercial drivers said to be circumventing the efforts of the state government in curbing the importation of the disease into the state.
The Special Adviser to the governor on Transport, Mr. Ogunleye explained that despite the ban on interstate movement, road transport workers were still conveying travellers in and out of the state.
“It becomes imperative now that all the drivers’ unions; whether National Union of Road Transport Workers, the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria and every other associated unions, should place their interstate parks under complete lock for us to be able to identify those who are actually waging war against this state.”
“We are in a serious emergency period. Emergency does not connote lawlessness. Rather, it is a situation where additional responsibilities are given to the citizens with the extant laws.
“But we viewed with greatest dismay that people were hiding under emergency situation to brazenly breach and violate even the existing laws without any regard to the associated rules and regulations with the COVID-19.
“We have done a bit of sensitisation, education, socialisation and even demonstrative enforcement for the willing society. Instead of appreciating the good gesture of the government to curtail the spread of COVID-19, our people kept the rules and regulations in disobedience.
“It is going to be a disservice for you to assist any erring transporter who has violated the rules from Abuja and has got himself into Ondo state with just a thin line to cross to the other side for you to assist him to cross. Rather, it is part of our responsibilities to send them back to Abuja.
Ogunleye said “We have been in talk with our neigbouring states, especially Osun, but the report we are getting is not palatable.
“We told them if any vehicle is coming from Lagos and gets to Owena Osun, they should not assist them to cross to Ondo state; they should be sent back to Lagos. We want to keep our own side of the obligation.
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