The Oyo State COVID-19 Security and Enforcement sub-Committee has impounded a total of 22 illegally parked vehicles during its special night operations to enforce compliance at club houses and public places in Ibadan, the state capital.
The Executive Chairman of the Oyo State Road Transport Management (OYRTMA), Mogaji Akin Fagbemi, who distributed protective tools such as hand gloves, portable hand sanitizers, face masks and thermometers to the team of officers before the raid, charged them to be professional in the exercise and respect fundamental human rights in the course of the operation.
According to him, “The Oyo State COVID-19 Security and Enforcement sub-Committee is made up of Oyo State Road Transport Management Agency and other security agencies, and we have begun a special night monitoring and enforcement of the state government’s directive aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 among residents of the state, particularly through transport operators, night clubs and other public places.”
The state has recorded more confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 which led to a directive of a dusk to dawn curfew (7p.m. to 6a.m.) and suspension of interstate transportation into and out of the state with effect from March 29, 2020 by the state Governor, Seyi Makinde, who also gave a directive that no public place or gathering should be more than 10 persons at a time.
While dispersing cluster of persons of more than 10 at club houses, the special anti-COVID-19 squad gave sufficient information on the need for residents to comply with the state government’s directives on social distancing, regular washing of hands with soap and other guidelines.
Those club houses the enforcement team visited included the Platinum on Awolowo Road; Hexagon at Samonda; Pleasure Summit in Iyaganku GRA; Cimoh Hotel in Mokola; Latitude at Samonda; Mauve 21 on Ring Road; Ventura at Sango and Shanty’s club, among others across the state.
Also, the OYRTMA has deployed over 200 men and officers to join the COVID-19 Taskforce Health Advisory sub-Committee to embark on public enlightenment at markets and public places within Ibadan for a campaign tagged: ‘Break the chain of transmission campaign on COVID-19’.
THISDAY, however, gathered that residents, who claimed ignorance of the anti-coronavirus guidelines issued by the state government, pledged to become vanguards and ambassadors against the spread of the deadly virus.