The authorities of Pankshin Local Government Council of Plateau on Monday alleged that people were being smuggled into the Local Government Area in defiance of the lockdown order by the state government.
The Deputy Chairman of the Council, Sam Mbok, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Pankshin that most of those being aided to circumvent the order were coming from Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, alleging that some persons on essential duty were the ones assisting them.
Mbok said: “We are still seeing people being brought into the council from places like Lagos, Abuja and Port Hacourt in spite of the ongoing lockdown in the state.
“One man, who is said to have come all the way from Lagos, was unfortunately brought into the town by some officers on essential duty.
“To our surprise, instead for the guy to quarantine himself, he started going about the town.
“We have to order for his arrest and quarantined him by force in order to keep our citizens safe, in case he has the virus, because the safety of our people is paramount.
“There are several arrests of defaulters of the lockdown order that we have made, with 15 of them being prosecuted by the mobile Court.”
The deputy chairman disclosed that a car being driven by a Vigilante Officer, with passengers heading to Kanke Local Government Area, was seized, apart from those that came into Pankshin.
According to Mbok: “What is worrisome about the attitude of some of the people on essential duties like the vigilante officer is that they are after making money and not afraid for their lives and that of others.
“Our surprise is how these set of people, desperate to get to their destinations, were able to pass through the boundary towns and other Local Government Areas before getting to Pankshin in Plateau Central.
“We are aware that those assisting them are making serious money to ferry them (passengers) through the areas.”
Mbok called on security operatives to be vigilant and proactive in performing their duties by not allowing people move about despite the lockdown.
The Deputy Chairman, however, expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance to the lockdown directive in Pankshin LGA and commended the citizens for their cooperation.
While admonishing the citizens to stay safe by maintaining social distance, Mbok expressed optimism that by God’s grace, the area and the entire Plateau State would be free from coronavirus.
Contacted for his comment on the issue, Spokesman of the Plateau State Police Command, Gabriel Ubah, said they were not aware of such development but promised to track down “perpetrators of such unpatriotic act”.
Ubah assured that his command would collaborate with other security agencies to safeguard the boundaries of Plateau State during the period of lockdown.
