Major streets and neighbourhoods in the ancient town of Ilesa and its environs were on Tuesday deserted as the 7-day lockdown order imposed on the four local government areas of Ijesaland by the state government commenced.
The state government had last Saturday ordered a total lockdown of Ilesa West, Ilesa East, Atakumosa East and Atakunmosa West local governments as part of efforts to contain the community transmission of the deadly coronavirus pandemic within the axis.
The affected four councils are parts of the six local government areas that make up Ijesa-South and Ijesa-North Federal Constituencies of Osun East Senatorial District.
The state’s enforcement team on COVID-19, on Tuesday morning, stormed the affected local government areas to enforce the lockdown measures ordered by the government.
The team, led by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Adebayo Adeleke said members of the team were on ground to enforce the government’s directives and assess the level of compliance.
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The enforcement team in a company with officers of Osun Joint Task Force and Osun Joint Security Network comprises the Police, Nigeria Civil Defense Corps, Department of State Services, Nigerian Army and Volunteers of Amotekun Corps, took to the major streets and communities in the affected areas to tighten-up the roadblocks and barricades mounted in the major entries.
Commenting on the level of compliance, the leader of the enforcement team, said it was encouraging and impressive, saying “the lockdown is expected to last seven days. This is the first day. This is impressive. We are happy with what we have seen so far, I hope and pray this level of compliance is maintained. But if it is not like the governor warned, it will be extended,” Adeleke stated.
It will be recalled that the government had in a statement lamented the surge in the number of confirmed Coronavirus cases in the State in the last one month and said there was a need to take measures to arrest the trend.
Osun had recorded a total of 178 confirmed cases so far, out of which it had successfully treated and discharged 84 patients. The State currently has a total of 87 active cases and it has recorded seven deaths since the outbreak of the virus.
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