COVID-19: Reps seek strict enforcement of inter-state travel ban

The House of Representatives on Thursday called for the strict enforcement of the presidential order prohibiting inter-state travels and the nationwide lockdown as part of efforts geared towards containing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by the Minority Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu and 9 others, who frowned at the flagrant disregard for the presidential order and the alleged complicity of the operatives of the security agencies deployed across the country in the violation of the presidential directive.

In his lead debate, Hon. Elumelu observed that the Federal Government imposed the nationwide lockdown after due consultations with state governors on the 27th April 2020, including a ban on non-essential interstate passenger travels until further notice; overnight curfew from 8 pm to 6 am, excepting movement for essential services and controlled interstate movement of goods and services from producers to customers.

“The House notes that while the restrictions on the interstate is supposedly ongoing, Nigerians are assailed daily with troubling images and videos of people travelling across the length and breadth of different states of the country, which is a clear violation on the presidential order on travel bans.

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“The House is aware that on several occasions, state government have intercepted trailer loads of people moving in the middle of the night and sneaking into other states in this lockdown period, whereas there are supposed to be security agents at states borders implementing the presidential lockdown orders.

“The House is worried that at a time like this when movement is being restricted worldwide there are videos of massive movements of travellers mostly smuggled in trucks carrying food items or livestock from one part of the country to another, this a complete drawback to the COVID-19 containment effort.

“The House is troubled that there are serious reports of the complicity of security agents who are supposed to be enforcers to the compliance of the orders of Mr president on the interstate lockdown.

“The House is concerned that the presidential task force on COVID-19 has raised an alarm over what it described as an increased level of interstate movement, worsened by the dubious concealment of people in food carrying vehicles. If not immediately curtailed will further increase the number of COVID-19 cases to an alarming high, that can put the country in a precarious state,” he noted.

To this end, the House mandated its relevant Committees to interface with the Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to investigate its alleged complicity and better ways of curbing these lapses

The House also called for the inauguration of a Special Task Force to monitor and implement the interstate lockdown.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE