Several vehicles and motorbikes were yesterday impounded in Ekiti State as Governor Kayode Fayemi ordered full enforcement of the total lockdown order to prevent the spread of the deadly Coronavirus.
The vehicles were arrested and impounded by combined forces of security agencies, who patrolled round Ado Ekiti Metropolis and other towns to enforce the order.
Fayemi had on Sunday announced that the state would be totally locked down with full restriction of human and vehicular movements commencing from Tuesday, as part of strategic efforts to prevent the disease from spreading in the state.
The order was enforced by soldiers, operatives of the Department of State Services, police officers of the Ekiti State Peace Corps, Ekiti State Traffic Management Agency, Federal Road Safety Corps, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
The operatives patrolled major streets and arrested defiant motorists and commercial motorcyclists with their vehicles and motorbikes impounded for violating the order.
Hundreds of vehicles and motorbikes arrested were impounded inside the main bowl of the Fajuyi park pavilion in the state capital.
The security personnel mounted barricades at all the entry points and highways, while their men took over major junctions like Ijigbo, Okeyinmi, Fajuyi and Odo Ado to control in and outflow of humans and vehicles.
Only a few sellers of essential goods and commodities exempted by the government from the shutdown order were allowed to ply their trade at the popular Oja Oba Market, Irona, Odo Ado and the Mojere markets within the metropolis.
The popular lock-up shops at Basiri, Ajilosun, and other strategic areas, where sellers of building materials and spare parts are concentrated was under lock and key.
Though banks and medicine stores were allowed to operate, they attended only a few customers as the order got substantial compliance from residents.
As of 12.30 pm, the security agencies were still going about in patrol vans around the capital city and arresting those who contravened the sit-at-home directive.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Mr. Sunday Abutu, said those arrested for violating the order would be prosecuted accordingly.
He said the punishment would be based on the severity of the offense committed.
Abutu commended the security agencies for being civil and professional in handling the enforcement.
“The punishment that will be meted out to offenders depends on the level of offense committed. Those who committed lesser offenses can be cautioned and warned to desist, while those who cannot be pardoned will face prosecution.
“The government had made it clear that fines and imprisonment are the two options that will be applied and our own is to arrest and charge accordingly while the government will do the prosecution.
“So, whoever flouted the order and was arrested should be ready to face the music,” he said.
