Ewa Innocent, The Sight News
Abakaliki: Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state has ordered a lockdown in the state from 7:00 p.m to 7:00 a.m.
This is just as he directed the law enforcement agents and state COVID-19 Task Force to arrest anybody found outside their residence within the stipulated time.
Umahi, gave the directive in a state-wide broadcast on Saturday, through the state radio and television, EBBC, after a security meeting in his office at the new government house, Centenary city, Abakaliki.
The governor who had earlier conducted a minute silence in honour of the late Chief of Staff of the President, Alhaji Abba Kyari, who bowed to the deadly coronavirus, explained that the action was taken to ensure a total lockdown of borders, especially at night, when people smuggle themselves into the state.
He assured that his administration was also making plans to install CCTV cameras at the border locations, get daily videos on the happenings at the borders, adding that security arrangement has been strengthened and strategized to have seven blockages at each of the border locations, to prevent unlawful entries and exits.
“I hereby direct a total lockdown of the entire state from 7:00 a.m to 7:00 p.m and anybody found outside within this period must be arrested and prosecuted. Only those offering essential Services such as Security agents, health workers, Media workers, who must have Pass are exempted”.
“We are making plans to also install CCTV cameras at the border locations to be getting daily videos of happenings at the borders.
“We have agreed to have seven blockages in each border location. Each entry point of Ebonyi State will have seven blockages. The first one at the boundary between us and another state will be manned by the Army and Army alone. Nobody else will be there.”
“Then, at a distance that will be agreed by the Deputy Governor and the security chiefs, the police will mount their own. Only the police will be there. We don’t want anybody else. Third point will be where the other service chiefs will contribute personnel and mount blockage.
“The fourth one will be the Neighborhood Watch. The fifth one will be Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The sixth one will be the Royal Highnesses and the Town Union Presidents and the seventh one will be the local government Chairmen and the Coordinators.
“This is with immediate effect. Let us see how the leakage will happen. And if the Army passes any vehicle and it is dictated against the law by the police, we will ask questions to the Army. It will help us know where the leakage is coming from”.
Umahi, also announced that collection of names for the cash transfer of the Federal government has started, as he has directed that it should be shared on a non-partisan basis with voters register, while compilation of names for the exercise should be completed and forwarded by next week.
He said the names are going to be used in the future distribution of palliatives to the vulnerable which will be done in all the polling units, across the state, the same day and the same time.
