Kano State Government says it has deployed security personnel to enforce compliance with restrictions on movement of persons on its borders to prevent spread of COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Baffa Dan-Agundi, Managing Director, Kano State Road Traffic Authority (KAROTA), made the disclosure at a press conference, on Friday in Kano.
Dan-Agundi disclosed that the measures were part of resolutions of the Kano State Security Committee meeting presided by Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, on Thursday, March 26.
He said that the committee deliberated extensively on precautionary measures against the pandemic.
It also deliberated on how to prevent persons infected with the virus from accessing entry or moving out of the state through land borders and airport.
Dan-Agundi, who is also a member of the committee, said the measure was imperative to safeguard public health and protect people against the virus.
He said: “Nobody is allowed to come into Kano State through its borders or to go out through its borders to neighbouring states.
“No vehicle whether private vehicles or passengers will be allowed entry into Kano State as from 12 midnight of Friday, March 27.
“However, items allowed in or out of the state include food items, raw materials for factories, petroleum products, drugs, medical equipment, textile materials and general goods for transaction between Kano and other states.
“Only the driver and his assistant are certify to enter Kano State with the goods.
“If you transport raw materials and at the same time convey passengers you will be denied entry and ask to go back.
“Also, drivers transporting goods will not be granted passage out of the state if found conveying passengers”.
Dan-Agundi said teams of security personnel, comprising the Police, Nigeria Customs, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Nigeria Immigration Service (NCS) would enforce compliance.
According to him, others such as KAROATA, Hisbah Board, personnel of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and health workers will also be deployed to enforce compliance with restriction order in eight major routes in the state.
Dan-Agundi noted that the state government had provided adequate equipment to facilitate screening of drivers of vehicles conveying goods at the borders or passengers at airport, adding that suspected case would be isolated for proper medical attention.
He said that intra-city movement of persons and business activities would not be affected as the state scales up campaign activities, while effective modalities had been put in place to monitor the situation.
The Managing Director of KAROTA urged the people to support government efforts to contain spread of the virus, observe precautionary measures, maintain good personal hygiene and pray for an end to the pandemic.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that membership of the Kano Security Committee is made up of the state governor, his deputy, police, military and other paramilitary organizations as well as community leaders.
The state government had earlier set up a task force committee on the pandemic, closed schools, sports and event centres as well as encouraged people to practice social distancing to prevent spread of COVID-19.
