The Police in Abuja, Akwa Ibom and Edo states have arrested no fewer than 2, 449 violators of movement restrictions in Abuja, Akwa Ibom and Edo states.
The Police in Abuja arrested 1,909 persons for violating the presidential lockdown order in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT, Bala Ciroma, said on Friday that 1,736 were convicted by 13 mobile courts, adding that 145 persons were discharged and 28 cases adjourned.
He said, “In the last couple of weeks, the command has been on the streets enforcing the presidential lockdown order to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus, which today, is a global health issue.
“In the course of this enforcement, persons arrested for violating the presidential directive were arraigned before mobile courts. The convicted violators were sentenced to community service or asked to pay fines.”
Also, an Uselu Mobile Court in Benin on Friday sentenced 29 people to community service for violating the curfew order imposed by Edo State Government to curtail COVID-19 spread, the News Agency of Nigeria reported.
The state government had on April 19 imposed a state-wide dusk-to-dawn curfew.
Prosecution counsel, Mr Agbokhaode Ayo, said the 29 people, who were apprehended at the New Benin axis, pleaded guilty.
Also, the Enforcement Committee of the Akwa Ibom State Quarantine and Restriction of Movement Regulations, 2020, says it has arraigned 126 defaulters and secured 119 convictions during the period of lockdown.
The committee also said it impounded 1,195 vehicles, tricycles and motorcycles during the period.
Chairman of the committee and Commissioner of Police in the state, Imohimi Edgal, made this known in a statement on Friday.
The statement, which was signed by the state command’s Public Relations Officer, Nnudam Fredrick, said all the entire land and water borders at Ogoni Head Bridge, Iwukem/Azumini, Odoro Ikpe/Arochukwu, Calabar/Itu, Ikot Ekpene/Umuahia, Nto Edino/Aba Road, Ibaka/Cameroon waterways, Oron/Calabar and Ikot Abasi were effectively closed.
Edgal said, “Since the commencement of the lockdown of the state, 385 motor vehicles, 336 tricycles and 474 motorcycles have been impounded.
“Following the establishment and inauguration of the special courts in the three senatorial districts by the state, 126 defaulters have been arrested and arraigned in the special courts between Monday, April 20 and Friday, April 24, 2020. 119 convictions have so far been recorded.”
In a related development, no fewer than 385 drivers were arrested and their vehicles impounded in a week (between April 16 and April 23) in some areas of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja for violating the lockdown directive of the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
According to daily reports gathered by one of our correspondents from the Assistant Chief Road Traffic Officer of Directorate of Road Traffic Services, popularly called VIO, from Thursday, April 16, a total of 78 violators were arrested at AYA, 138 were arrested at Mpape Junction while 169 at Dantata under-Bridge.
A breakdown of the figures shows that on Thursday (April 16), 18 drivers were arrested and their vehicles impounded at AYA, 17 at Mpape Junction and 13 at Dantata Under Bridge. Punch
