Lockdown: We’re not satisfied with compliance level – Enforcement Committee

…. Warns migrants against lockdown, NCDC protocols violation

The Ijesaland lockdown Enforcement Committee on Friday, expressed dissatisfaction with  the  compliance level of the exercise so far.  

This is just as it warned people from other parts of the country living in Ijesaland against flouting  government’s directives designed to prevent community transmission of Coronavirus in the State.

It condemned in its entirety the high level of disobedience displayed by some artisanal miners resident in some parts of Ijesaland since the beginning of the lockdown in the areas, insisting that the migrants in Ifewara and its environs in Atakunmosa West Local Government had turned deaf ears to lockdown order imposed on the area.

Government of the State of Osun had last weekend announced a 7-day total lockdown in  four local governments in Ijesa axis of the State as part of efforts to curb community transmission of  the Coronavirus pandemic.

The enforcement team, which toured Iwara-Ijesa, Iwikun-Ijesa and Ifewara-Ijesa all in Atakunmosa-West local government area, arrested some violators who were later sensitised on the health implications of COVID-19 and the likely effect of their insolence.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Mrs. Abiodun Ige, who led the enforcement team, decried the way and manner the migrants residing in the areas flouted government’s directives.

She lamented what she described as gross disobedience of government’s directives, saying the suspected migrants were carrying on as if there was no lockdown in Ifewara and its environs.

Ige who expressed fear  of the implications  of the conduct of the migrants in the town noted that if urgent action was not taken, such an act might jeopardise the fundamental reason the lockdown was imposed.

She warned the defaulters to desist from taking government’s directives for granted, saying there won’t be any preferential treatment  in the enforcement of rules.

“It is unfortunate that despite the lockdown, some  people from other parts of the country still flagrantly opened their markets and engaged in open buying and selling activities.

“As you can see, we met them here in the market selling and buying as if there was no lockdown. Many of them didn’t observe safety protocols. They didn’t wear nose masks and they didn’t maintain social distancing as directed by the government”, she added.

Also, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural Development and Community Affairs, Hon. Mumini Adekunle Rafiu, lamented the poor compliance level experienced in some parts of the areas. He said government would not rest on its oars in ensuring strict compliance to lockdown order as efforts would be jerked up to strengthen security in the affected areas.

The ancient town of Ilesa and its environs were on Tuesday deserted as the 7-day lockdown order imposed on the four local government areas of Ijesaland by the state government commenced.

The enforcement team of the lockdown has described the observance of the lockdown as “impressive”.

The state government had last Saturday ordered  a total lockdown of Ilesa West, Ilesa East, Atakumosa East and Atakunmosa West as part of efforts to contain the community transmission of the deadly Coronavirus pandemic within the axis. 

The affected four councils are parts of the six local government areas that make up Ijesa-South and Ijesa-North Federal Constituencies of Osun East Senatorial District.

The State’s enforcement team on COVID-19, on Tuesday morning stormed the affected local government areas to enforce the lockdown measures ordered by the government.

The team, led by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Adebayo Adeleke, said members of the team were on ground to enforce the government’s directives and assess the level of compliance.

The enforcement team in company with officers of Osun Joint Task Force and Osun Joint Security Network comprises the Police, Nigeria Civil Defense Corps, Department of State Services, Nigerian Army and Volunteers of Amotekun Corps, took to the major streets and communities in the affected areas to tighten-up the road blocks and barricades mounted in the major entries and strategic places as part of efforts to prevent vehicular and needless movement of residents.

Speaking on the level of compliance, the leader of the enforcement team, said it was encouraging and impressive. 

“The lockdown is expected to last seven days. This is the first day. This is impressive. We are happy with what we have seen so far, I hope and pray this level of compliance is maintained. But if it is not, like the governor warned, it will be extended,” Adeleke said. 

It will be recalled that the government had in a statement lamented the surge in the number of confirmed Coronavirus cases  in the State in the last one month and said there was need to take measures to arrest the trend. 

Osun has recorded a total of 178 confirmed cases  so far, out of which it had successfully treated and discharged 84 patients. The State currently has a total of 87 active cases and it has recorded seven deaths since the outbreak of the virus. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, who also spoke during the week, noted that medical analysis revealed that many of the recent cases of COVID-19 recorded in the State were from Ilesa axis and its environs, hence the need for government to impose a total lockdown to curb community transmission of the pandemic.