The Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority (OYRTMA) said it has impounded 36 articulated vehicles belonging to haulage companies and logistics departments for violating the state’s lockdown directive.
A statement by the State Commissioner of Information, Dr Wasiu Olatubosun, on Thursday in Ibadan, quoted Dr Akin Fagbemi, Chairman, OYRTMA as giving the figure of the impounded vehicles.
According to Fabgemi, the vehicles were impounded during a routine surveillance operation in the state.
He said some operators of the trucks coming into or passing through Oyo State to other parts of the country willfully boycotted the lockdown orders of neighbouring states.
Fagbemi alleged that the trucks were used to convey a large number of people as against the approved carriage of food items, pharmaceutical products and other essential goods and services.
“Some trucks numbering about 36 were impounded in Oyo state between April 1 and April 8, for violating the restriction of movement orders of the state government.
“Having previously established that the coronavirus disease is majorly transmitted through human movements from one place to another.
“These articulated vehicles were seen conveying hundreds of persons as against the approved food items, pharmaceuticals and other essentials without any official permit or convincing reasons.
“This act negates efforts by the Oyo State government to mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) through inter and intrastate vehicular movements and influx of foreign persons into the state,” he stated.
Fagbemi, therefore, warned all company drivers of articulated trucks, who engage in such act to desist, saying that erring drivers would be made to face the full wrath of the extant laws of the state.
(NAN)
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