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Tag: sit-at-home order

  • COVID-19: Sit-at-Home order ‘ll be enforced during palliative distribution – Minister

    COVID-19: Sit-at-Home order ‘ll be enforced during palliative distribution – Minister

    FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, has announced that the administration would ensure strict compliance of the presidential sit-at-home order in each area council, to pave way for a hitch free distribution of palliative items to the vulnerable in rural communities.

    The minister who made this declaration during a stakeholders’ meeting with graded chiefs in the six area councils as well as representatives of religious and political leaders, also revealed that the exercise would commence in Abaji Area Council on Friday April 17, 2020.

    Aliyu said the decision to begin with Abaji was to test-run the palliative distribution in regards to security personnel and logistics with a view to improving on any identified mistakes in subsequent area councils.

    The minister had directed the council chairmen, traditional rulers and the religious leaders to suggest the best way that the palliative items would reach those who genuinely need them in their domains at this critical period of the sit-at-home directive of the Federal Government.

    According to her, “In our wisdom, considering the daunting task of our royal fathers, considering the responsibilities vested on you, we have come to a stage where we have to sit down with you and rob minds together on how to reach-out to our people.

    “The reason for this meeting today is to discuss the burning issue of the palliative distribution to our people seamlessly and the strategy we have adopted. Hopefully, after this pandemic, we will come out stronger.

    “By the grace of God, we are ready to go. We have want it takes in our reservoir to distribute to all our vulnerable in the FCT. We felt this is the right time to discuss with our royal fathers on the modalities of distribution. We want to seek your advise from your reservoir of knowledge and wisdom to guide us properly.

    “However, we don’t want to expose people to the danger of COVID-19 in the guise of sharing palliative. Therefore, we have drawn up our strategy. It is propose that the palliative will commence in Abaji on Friday April 17m 2020.

    “Abaji is targeted because it has the smallest population and one of the poorest area councils in the FCT by our data. The outcome of Abaji distribution will enable us evaluate our performance. During the distribution, the security will be mobilized and lockdown each area council to enable us move from house to house”.

    Speaking on behalf of other traditional rulers, the Ona of Abaji who is also the chairman of council’s of chiefs, HRH. Adamu Baba Yunusa, pledged the support of all graded chiefs to ensure the success of the exercise.

  • COVID-19: Wike Suspends LG Chairman, Deputy indefinitely over violation of ‘sit-at-home’ order

    COVID-19: Wike Suspends LG Chairman, Deputy indefinitely over violation of ‘sit-at-home’ order

    Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has threatened that the state government will not hesitate to acquire any beer parlour or public drinking joint caught operating.

    On Thursday, March 26, 2020, the Governor in a television broadcast directed closure of all businesses in the state and ordered residents to sit at home.

    This was part of efforts to protect the state from the coronavirus pandemic, which eventually found its way into the state some hours after the televised address.

    On Monday (yesterday), Mr Wike, in another broadcast, expressed his displeasure over the non-compliance of the state government’s directive.

    He said some markets have continued to violate the sit-at-home order, saying, “We have no choice than to make some painful, but necessary decisions to further prevent the spread of coronavirus in the state.”

    According to him, after a meeting of the State Security Council, it was agreed that, “With effect from Tuesday March 31, 2020, there will be a dusk to dawn curfew from Obiri-Ikwerre Junction (Ozuoba, Rumualogu) to Choba and from Education Bus Stop to Agip Junction, Ikwerre Road.

    “All beer parlours and public drinking joints are hereby closed because they have suddenly become an extension of night clubs that were earlier shut down.

    “Any beer parlour or public drinking joint found to be open shall be acquired by the State Government.

    “All landlords are advised to warn their tenants who use their property as beer parlours or public drinking joints to adhere to this directive.

    “Traditional Rulers, Youth Leaders and Community Development Committees are to ensure that beer parlours and public drinking joints in their areas remain closed.

    “Any Traditional Ruler who allows markets to be open in his domain will be deposed.

    “Government is investigating the illegal operation of markets at night at Woji and Elelenwo Communities. Further violation by residents of these two communities will attract declaration of curfew.

    “Further flagrant violation of the closure of markets will attract a state-wide declaration of curfew. We must understand that people must be alive before they eat food.”

    However, he said those in the medical and pharmaceutical, food and beverages, essential oil and gas, petroleum products, and media sectors would be exempted from the lockdown.

    He noted that, “All these categories of staff must identify themselves with valid identity cards.”

    According to him, to make this easy for people in the state, “government is looking into the setting up of food markets across the state.”

    “As a result of the flagrant violation of the closure of markets in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Local Government Council Chairman and his Deputy, are hereby suspended indefinitely,” he declared.

    Concluding, the Governor said “government will continue to do what is right no matter who is involved. As you are all aware, no conventional war has grounded global life and economy like coronavirus has done.

    “I want to sincerely express my heartfelt gratitude to our health professionals on the frontline of this fight. Let me also thank all the security agencies, individuals and organisations who are collaborating with us to make Rivers State safe.

    “I am confident that with our collective resolve our dear state will contain the spread of this virus.”

  • Biafra: Police, Army, others storm Abia over IPOB’s sit-at-home order

    The Police Command in Abia on Monday led detachments of the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in a show of strength in Umuahia, ahead of the IPOB sit-at-home order for Wednesday, May 30.

    The exercise took off from the Central Police Station (CPS), Umuahia, at about 9 a.m. and moved round the major streets up to Ubakala and Olokoro in Umuahia South Local Government Area back to CPS, via Bende Road.

    The convoy included one Armoured Personnel Carrier and about 15 patrol vans, loaded with heavily armed men.

    Speaking with newsmen at the end of the show, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Anthony Ogbizi, said the joint exercise was designed to reassure residents of the readiness of the security agencies to continue to protect their lives and property.

    “The show of strength included men of the Police Command, the army and Civil Defence and the essence is to demonstrate our resolve to ensure that Abia residents continue to enjoy uninterrupted peace.

    “We are poised to continue to sustain the prevailing peace and wish to send a signal to trouble makers, especially members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which has been proscribed as a terrorist group.

    “We want them to know that the law will not spare them should they go ahead to disrupt the prevailing peace, which residents of the state are presently enjoying.

    “So we used this opportunity to instil confidence in the people that security agencies are alive to their primary duties of protecting their lives and property.”

    The Police boss, therefore, urged the people to ignore the sit-at-home order and go about their lawful businesses without any fear of molestation.

    “Sitting at home for fear of any possible attack by IPOB members will give them a sense of victory.”

    Ogbizi further charged security operatives “to be alert and vigilant” to be able to checkmate the activities of IPOB.

    He alleged that the group now indulged in producing Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).

    “If we do not respond now to nip the activities of the group in the bud, especially in producing IED, then we may be heading for doom.

    He said that some policemen were recently attacked in Aba with IED, allegedly made by IPOB, adding that the incident was currently being investigated.

    “Let us have it at the back of our minds that IPOB is a violent group. We should not treat them with kid gloves.

    “We should work to protect ourselves. Your lives are as important as those that you protect.”

    The police commissioner underscored the need for security agencies to sustain the existing synergy for mutual benefits.

  • Biafra Day: Police issue warnings as MASSOB, IPOB mobilise residents for sit-at-home order

    The Enugu State Police Command, on Monday, warned pro-Biafra groups against intimidation and harassment of law abiding residents during Biafra Day celebration on Tuesday, May 30.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Enugu State, SP Ebere Amaraizu, who gave the warning in a statement, called on citizens of the state to disregard the sit-at-home directive.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that various pro-Biafra groups, who are agitating for an independent Biafran State, had issued sit-at-home directive to the people of the South-East and South South regions.

    The group said that the sit-at-home directive was to commemorate the fallen heroes during the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, which started in 1967.

    “The command advises members of the public to disregard such order and go about their normal lawful businesses.

    “The command is also advising the public to watch out for any person or group under any guise who will come to intimidate, threaten or force them to shut down their offices or shops,” he said.

    “The command urge the people to report such threat to nearby police station or alert the command through its distress lines 08032003702, 08075390883,08086671202 and 08098880172.

    “You can also report through the command social media platform of twitter handle POLICENG_ENUGU and Face-book page of NigeriapoliceforceEnugustatecommand.

    “The command in partnership with other sister security agencies and relevant bodies has put in place adequate machinery; as security apparatus have been mobilised to fish out those in this habit and bring them to book,’’ he said.

    Amaraizu, however, advised those intending to carry out this unpatriotic and unlawful act to change from their plan in their own interest.

    According to him, the command in collaboration with sister agencies will not sit and fold its arms to see innocent and law abiding citizens of the state being molested or threatened by any person or group.

    MASSOB, IPOB mobilise residents for sit-at-home

    Meanwhile members of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra and the Indigenous People of Biafra on Monday morning staged a procession in Owerri, the Imo State capital, ahead of the May 30 “sit-at-home” order by the pro-Biafran agitators.

    This was just as security agents comprising the men of the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Department of State Services, Army and Air Force also marched around major streets in Owerri and other parts of the state.

    Singing pro-Biafran songs, the secessionist groups distributed handbills, with the inscription “2017 Biafran heroes’ Remembrance Day. We remember our fallen heroes from 1966 to 2017 – the 3.5 million Biafrans killed in Nigeria Biafra war, the over 200 IPOB members killed from 2015 till date; the 30th May, 2017 sit-at-home and celebrating 50th Biafran anniversary.”