COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown Extension: Oyeyemi Orders COs To Re- Strategise

By Cyber Era Correspondent

Following President Muhammadu Buhari’s extension of the current lockdown in Lagos, Ogun States(south west), as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, north central, for another 14days effective Monday  April 13, 2020, the Corps Marshal of road safety regulator in Nigeria, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, has ordered Commanding Officers across the country to step up ongoing enforcement on restrictions and social distance amongst vehicle occupants and carry out the Presidential directives holistically by impounding at sight any vehicle found violating the orders.

According to information from the Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem,  the Corps Marshal’s directive is to reiterate the commitment of the Federal Road Safety Corps towards sustaining existing collaborations with the Federal and State Governments in the fight against the ravaging Coronavirus, and further ensure that the order on restrictions are diligently and  effectively enforced with all sense of professionalism, civility and resilience.

He added that the alarming upsurge in deaths and spread of the virus across the globe, which the Federal Government was working round the clock to subdue in Nigeria, was not an operation the Corps was ready to treat with kids gloves. As such, the Corps Marshal’s order to Commanding Officers was to ensure the full utilisation of the work force through effective deployment of personnel to arrest without hesitation, any motorist who contravened the National Order on Stay at Home.

Expectedly, Oyeyemi also ordered that except the vehicles and the occupants were accredited essential workers with proof of identification, Commanding Officers must ensure that the vehicles were impounded and the occupants handed over to the Police for prosecution in the Court of Law for contravening the Presidential Order on restrictions, social distance and stay at home.

While warning citizens to comply with the restriction order or face the wrath of the law, Oyeyemi also advised essential workers who might be tempted to compromise with the social distance directives in vehicles to restrain from such as the virus did not discriminate nor spare anybody irrespective of class or profession.