Officials of the Cross River State government and security operatives yesterday intercepted another set of trucks carrying no fewer than 30 Qur’anic education pupils “Almajiri” at the Gakem-Benue border in the state.
They were immediately sent back in the same trucks to where they were coming from.
The Chairperson of the state COVID-19 Taskforce, Betta Edu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Calabar that the trucks were intercepted by the Youths and Skills Acquisitions Commissioner Signor Idiege and a team of security operatives on enforcing the “No Entry” directive of the government at the border.
She said Mr Idiege also sent an escort to move with the trucks to ensure that they did not divert through any other route to the state.
“It is important for the Federal Government to support these people where they are rather than allow them move from one part of the country to the other.
“Remember COVID-19 does not move but people move, so, if these people are coming from states that have the virus, of
course, for us in Cross River, we do not want them here.
“That is the only way we can reduce the number that is building every day and contain the virus,” she said.
The Cross River border taskforce had earlier on Wednesday evening intercepted and sent back five trucks with goods and almajiri at the same Gakem-Benue border.
