The Senate has condemned in strong terms what it termed a barefaced breach of the
presidential order on overnight curfew and ban on non-essential interstate
travels aimed at containing the COVID-19 pandemic.
It has also directed the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu and the
Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr.
Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, to ensure full enforcement of the presidential orders
and investigate the alleged complicity of their men in the breaches.
The resolution was sequel to a motion entitled “Need to Enforce Presidential Order Banning Non-Essential Interstate Movement”, sponsored by former Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, at plenary on Tuesday.
It also called on the two security chiefs to ensure full cooperation of their various
commands with respective State authorities in enforcing the presidential orders and other protocols aimed at rolling back the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moving the motion, the lawmaker representing Enugu West in the upper legislative chamber, said the Senate was alarmed at the spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country, which he said currently stood at 4,641 cases and 150
deaths as well as the daily confirmed cases, which he noted was now hundreds.
Continuing, he said: “The Senate is aware that the President, in his wisdom and relying on advisories by relevant authorities and powers conferred on him by Section 3 of the Quarantine Act, CAP Q2 Laws of the
Federation 2004 issued the Proclamation Order on the General Management of
COVID-19 banning non-essential inter-state passenger travels until further notice in order to contain the deadly novel Coronavirus.
“The Senate is also aware of the presidential order declaring dusk to dawn curfew all over the country.
“The Senate is, therefore, seriously worried by the numerous reports and trending videos on the flagrant breach of the curfew
and interstate travel”.
He recalled that both the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 had raised the alarm
over what it described as “Increased level of interstate movement, worsened by
the dubious concealment of people in food-carrying vehicles”, while the Nigeria
Governors’ Forum had equally raised serious concerns over how Nigerians
crisscross the country in their numbers despite the subsisting order to the
contrary.
“The Senate is conscious of the very
grave implications of the brazen breach of the presidential order restricting
interstate movements and of the fact that the nation’s security agencies,
particularly the police, have the responsibility to enforce law and order,
including the presidential ban on interstate movement.
“The Senate, is however, very worried about
reports of alleged complicity in the said breaches by those who are supposed to
enforce compliance with the directives of the President and Commander-in-Chief
of the Armed Forces”.
Consequently, the Senate unanimously enjoined Nigerians to strictly comply with the orders
for their own safety and to quicken the nation’s victory over the COVID-19
pandemic.
It equally directed the Inspector-General of Police, Commandant-General of the
Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and heads of all security agencies
charged with enforcing the ban on interstate travel “to investigate the alleged
complicity of their officers in the breach of the curfew and ban non-essential
interstate travels and bring to book anyone found wanting”.
The upper legislative chamber called on the two security chiefs to ensure that their
various commands cooperate with respective State authorities in enforcing the
presidential orders and other protocols aimed at rolling back the COVID-19
pandemic.
In his contribution, the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan noted: “There is need for proper enforcement of the restrictions on interstate travels. Apparently, there is so much breach and interference. We need to seat up because this is a very serious challenge to our
country”.
He also stressed the need for social distancing.
“Beyond the interstate travels, even the observance of social distancing sometimes
suffers inside the states. So, it is very important that citizens do this because this is for ourselves and for our family members”, he concluded.