Covid-19: Osun raises alarm over influx of Zamfara youths into state

Osun State government on Wednesday night raised the alarm over the influx of Zamfara youths into the state.

The Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, Prince Adeyanju Abdullah Binuyo, who disclosed this in an interview, said the government was aware of the influx but urged the residents not to panic as adequate security measures have been put in place to arrest the situation.

Binuyo further disclosed that all northern youths who came into the state by hiding in trucks carrying essential goods had been tracked down by the government and will immediately be sent back to their home states.

He explained that the government had mandated the Amotekun Corps to effectively man all the entry points and ensure that all trucks bringing essential goods into the state are properly checked and monitored till they offload their goods and immediately escorted out of the state.

According to Binuyo, “Government is aware of a huge influx of non-Osun residents into the state, especially from Zamfara. They were coming majorly through the Ondo axis, accompanying trucks that are carrying food materials purportedly to be sold around the South-West generally.

“The intelligence that we’ve gathered in the last few days is such that they usually have two or a maximum of three people attached to a truck to assist in discharging the goods. But now we have sometimes 10 of them hidden among the goods.

“Sometimes the trucks would stop and drop some of them off along Ife express road where they are received by their fellow northerners already resident in the state.

“The government has been receiving a lot of such reports most especially now that Amotekun has been properly set up. This portends a great danger especially at a time like this when Osun is doing everything to avoid community transmission of COVID-19. This is not the time to be reckless and allow safety or security breaches at our borders.

“The newly inaugurated Amotekun with the support of the police and army have been mandated to identify and man all the entry points, carry out proper checks on the trucks coming in the name of carrying food or relief materials and make sure that anyone found hiding in these trucks are immediately returned to their states.”

The deputy chief of staff maintained that all travel to and from the state remained banned while the land boundaries would “be on lockdown round the clock”, adding that only “food, medical, beverages, petroleum, agriculture and construction supply trucks are exempted but they cannot have more than three persons per truck.”

He assured that adequate security machinery had been put in place to ensure that trucks coming in are offloaded under close watch and immediately escorted out of the state.

Continuing, Binuyo hinted that any security officers found to compromise at any boundary would be made to face the full wrath of the law as a deterrent to others while vehicles caught in violation of the orders would “be forfeited to the state and the passengers prosecuted”.

He said, “as for the officers who compromise the borders,  the government and the commissioner of police have agreed that any officer found wanting in this regard will be punished and used as a scapegoat.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Buy and read digital replicas of your TRIBUNE titles by subscribing through E-VENDING

Islamic Teacher Who Keeps Over 500 Almajiri Girls And Boys Together Inside Mud House Arrested
An Islamic teacher who allegedly keeps over 500 boys and girls as almajiri in Zaria, Kaduna State, has been arrested and is currently being interrogated by the police. This was disclosed by the state Commissioner for Human Development and Social Services, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, while speaking with newsmen in Kaduna on Tuesday… Read full story

COVID-19: First Set Of Nigerians Abroad To Be Evacuated On Monday ― Foreign Affairs Minister
After several weeks of disappointment, the first set of Nigerians abroad anxious to return to the country would be evacuated by next Monday. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama made the disclosure on Tuesday at the weekly PTF briefing on COVID-19… Read full story

IG Orders Deployment Of Four CPs To Adamawa, Imo, Plateau, Abuja
The Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the posting of four Commissioners of Police (CPs) to states and police formation. The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), DCP Frank Mba, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja… Read full story

COVID-19: Sokoto Records Three Deaths As Cases Hit 19
Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal has announced that three persons have died in the state as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19). The governor also disclosed that nine persons who had contact with the second confirmed COVID-19 patient in the state have also tested positive… Read full story

Constitution Review: How Far With NASS Ad Hoc Committee?
The ninth National Assembly has elected to undertake a review of the 1999 Constitution (as ammended) with a view to aligning its various provisions to contemporary political and economical concerns observed by Nigerians from all walks of life. As at the last count, there were over 40 bills seeking alteration of various sections of the constitution… Read full story

EDITORIAL: When Will The Chibok Girls Return?
ON April 14, the country marked the sixth anniversary of the abduction of 276 female students of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram terrorists. Since the terrorists invaded the school hostel and abducted the girls on April 14, 2014, the nation has been ill at ease; it has been a case… Read full story

Coronavirus: Ford To Lose $5 Billion In Second Quarter
Ford Motor Co (F.N) said on Tuesday its second-quarter loss will more than double to $5 billion from $2 billion in the first quarter due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, but said despite the ongoing crisis it has enough money to last for the remainder of 2020, Reuters reports… Read full story

Israel Pledges To Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation With Nigeria
The Embassy of Israel in Nigeria has pledged to strengthen the bilateral cooperation shared between Israel and Nigeria. The Deputy Head of Israeli Mission to Nigeria, Mr Yotam Kreiman, said this in a statement to commemorate the 72nd Independence Anniversary celebration of Israel… Read full story

COVID-19 Pandemic: CUPP Hails Buhari Over Total Lockdown Of Kano
Nigerian opposition parties under the umbrella of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) on Tuesday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for ordering the total lockdown of Kano State over the ravaging deadly coronavirus pandemic in the state as earlier demanded by the coalition… Read full story

COVID-19: IMF Approves $3.4bn Emergency Support For Nigeria
The executive board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), on Tuesday, approved $3.4 billion in emergency financial assistance for Nigeria under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) to enable the country meet the urgent balance of payment needs stemming from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic… Read full story

COVID-19: IMF Approves $3.4bn Emergency Support For Nigeria
The executive board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), on Tuesday, approved $3.4 billion in emergency financial assistance for Nigeria under the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) to enable the country meet the urgent balance of payment needs stemming from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic… Read full story