…Face six months in jail
Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
Commercial motorcyclists, numbering 68, were arrested, on Tuesday, in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, metropolis for violating on-going restriction order on Coronavirus.
Apart from being arrested their motorcycles were also impounded in a joint operation carried out by relevant security agencies in the state.
Special Adviser to the governor on Security Matters, Brig.-Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana (rtd), disclosed this to reporters after monitoring compliance with the restriction order.
The Okada riders were arrested at various locations for continuing their operation in disobedience to government order to the contrary.
The culprits would be arraigned in court any moment from now and could be jailed for six months for contravening regulations guiding against the spread of COVID-19.
Governor Kayode Fayemi had, in a statewide broadcast, on Sunday, slammed a 14-day curfew to ensure compliance with various directives earlier given to contain the spread of Coronavirus in the state.
Governor Fayemi imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew between 7.00pm to 7.00 am, restricted movements in the daytime and banned public transport.
The governor said the move became necessary following the flouting of an earlier order given to transporters against overloading of passengers.
Commercial motorcyclists were ordered not to carry more than one passenger while taxi drivers were ordered not to carry more than one passenger in the front seat and not more than three at the back.
Bus and mini bus drivers were also directed not to overload their vehicles but the directives were not heeded.
The governor in the last broadcast on Sunday banned commercial transportation, including operations of okada riders, taxi and commercial bus drivers for two weeks as parts of measures to curtail Coronavirus spread in the state.
The governor stressed that the action was taken pursuant to Section 8 of the Quarantine Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).
Speaking against the background of monitoring exercise in which the erring cyclists were apprehended, Ogundana expressed regrets that some okada operators still defied the latest order.
He said government would not fold its arms and allow some individuals to sabotage its efforts to make Ekiti Coronavirus-free.
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Ogundana vowed that the operation would be a daily affair until a total compliance is achieved.
While noting that security agencies are up to the task, Ogundana said operatives have been deployed all over the state to arrest anyone violating the restriction order.
Also speaking on the matter, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Olawale Fapohunda, said it would not be business as usual for those flouting the government directives.
He said those arrested would be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.
Fapohunda said nobody is above the law stressing that the law would take its course.
Culprits are liable upon conviction to a prison term of six months or fine or both as penalties.