Nine sokoto indigenes intercepted at oyo/osun border undergo covid 19 testing

- June 02, 2020

Nine indigenes of Sokoto were, on Saturday, intercepted at the Oyo/Osun boundary, around Asejire area, by the Oyo State border patrol team.

During an interrogation by the state Commissioner of Police, Shina Olukolu, the Northerners explained that they resided with their immediate family in Akure, Ondo state capital, and were only returning after they had travelled to Sokoto for the burial of a relative.

Speaking, driver of the bus, with registration number Sokoto WRN-49 XA, Mr Muhammed Idris, added that they all got tired of the two weeks lockdown and were encouraged to embark on the journey when a returning indigene from Ibadan told them the interstate lockdown was not strict.

Giving an account of his journey from Sokoto, Idris said though their bus was stopped at different locations, they always found their way past security patrols.

He, however, said they encountered a major stoppage in Kebbi State where they were tested for COVID-19 but were subsequently released to continue the journey after their result came back negative.

The Sokoto indigenes were, at the Gbagi police station, immediately subjected to COVID-19 screening and testing.

Governor Seyi Makinde who supervised the interrogation, wondered why some Nigerians still flouted the interstate travel restriction imposed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigeria Governors Forum.

While not ruling out the possibility of returning the nine arrested to their state of origin, Makinde said the state awaited their COVID-19 test results.

Pending the release of the test results, Makinde said the nine persons will be isolated in an Hausa community.

“First, they are not able to explain how they got here in the first instance. There is an interstate lockdown throughout the country and they claimed they came from Sokoto and they must have passed through so many states before getting here.

“We have taken their samples now, they cannot go anywhere now until they get the result and I have asked my Special Assistant on Arewa matters to talk to Seriki Shasha and then we will see if we can keep them in that community isolated until we have their result.

“I’m in discussion with the Governor of Sokoto State and once we get their test results, it is more than likely that we are going to return them to Sokoto,” Makinde said.

Asked on plans to forestall incidences of people not complying with interstate lockdown directive, Makinde said, “It is a discussion going on with the rest of the governors in Nigeria. The interstate lockdown was put in place for a particular reason and what we have said is that each state should ensure that where they have interstate garages, those garages must be on lockdown.

“If those interstate garages are on lockdown, at least 80 to 85 percent of our problem would have been solved and I believe that will be the ultimate way to go for this period,” Makinde added