COVID 19: Niger State Government Imposes Ban On Night Travel

… Set To Profile And Repatriate The Almajiris

In order to forestall any further outbreak of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Niger State Government has banned all night travels of vehicles and persons from 6: 00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello made this known when he addressed the COVID-19 State Taskforce Committee at the Government House, Minna.

Governor Sani Bello noted that having reviewed the existing lockdown order, there was the need to strengthen it in order to curb the spread of the dreaded virus.

He appealed with the Local government chairmen to guard their boundaries and ensure strict compliance with the COVID-19 order if the state must achieve the desired result.

The Governor said the night travel ban has become necessary as it is the period used by motorists to convey people and goods from the state to other parts thereby flouting the lockdown order, adding that the three cases recorded in the state were all travellers.

He added that security at all boundaries of the state will be reinforced through the deployment of conventional security personnel and volunteers like the Red Cross, Boys Brigade, En’Agaji, and Man O war.

He directed the Secretary to the state government to interface with the various unions such as the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to ensure that they support the government on the interstate ban.

On the repatriation of the Almajiris, the Governor revealed that eight isolation centres have been identified in the eight Emirates in the state for the mandatory 14-days quarantine where

the Almajiris will be profiled and tested for COVID-19 before being repatriated to their states of origin under the strict supervision of the state government.

He also revealed that the state government will increase testing capacity so that more people will get tested, for the state to actually know her true position as regards its status on COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the government added that Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday remain the window days strictly for restocking, insisting on the intra and interstate border ban.

He said that violation of the use of face mask; non-adherence to social distancing by the citizens outside their homes would be prosecuted, urging the citizens to observe personal hygiene as well.

According to the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mary Noel Berje, the Secretary to the state government, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Matane shortly also briefed members of the press after the meeting, emphasizing the position of the state government.