The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has threatened severe consequences for members of the organised transport sector who proceeded to violate the restriction order by resorting to night travels.
He stated that the violation undermines the efforts of the Federal Government at curbing the spread of COVID-19.
The Force spokesman, DCP Frank Mba, said the warning followed intelligence at the disposal of the force showing that road transport workers, especially interstate operators, had continued to defy the suspension of movements ordered by the FG.
“Consequently, the IG has directed commissioners of police to ensure full implementation of the restriction order, especially as it relates to night travel without being unmindful of categories of exempted persons and the fundamental human rights of Nigerians,” Mba said in a statement on Wednesday.
The IG restated that the lockdown was for 24 hours daily, noting that night hours were not excluded.
He called on the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria and the Public Transport Owners of Nigeria Association, among others, to caution their members to adhere to the restriction order of the Federal Government.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory has concluded plans to set up mobile courts to try violators of the lockdown in Abuja.
Following a review of the level of compliance of the cessation of movement in the city, the FCT minister, Muhammad Bello, said market operational days were, henceforth, reduced to two days in a week namely Wednesdays and Saturdays only.
Rising from a meeting of the FCT COVID-19 Security Committee on Wednesday, the minister said residents should patronize only neighbourhood markets “as movement from one district to the other now constitutes a violation of the lockdown.”
