COVID-19: FCTA introduces Mobile Courts to try violators of restriction order

The Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Bello, has announced the immediate introduction of Mobile Court to try violators of the Presidential lockdown order imposed as a measure to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the Territory.

Malam Bello said the decision became imperative having observed with dismay the flagrant disobedience of the order by the residents of the FCT especially in the satellite towns located at the various area councils.

According to the Minister, the decision was reached at the FCT COVID-19 Security Committee meeting after a careful review of the effect and level of compliance of the cessation of movement in the territory.

While noting that the FCT has been quite fortunate to have maintained a relatively stable number of COVID- 19 positive cases with the FCT Administration making efforts to ensure that there is no escalation in the number of positive cases returned from the Territory, he announced that market operational days are henceforth reduced to only two days in a week namely; Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The Minister said that while the level of compliance has been satisfactory at the Federal Capital City (FCC) over the first few days of the lockdown, the same cannot be said about the satellite towns located at the various area councils where residents there have largely ignored the lockdown directive.

“However, over the past few days, adherence to the lockdown directives at the City Center has also deteriorated as residents have used the excuse of going to the markets to flout the lockdown directives and traders selling non-essential food commodities have also used this window to open their shops in clear violation of the directives not to do so;

“Despite the directives that residents should patronize neighborhood shops and markets within their districts and not move from one district to the other to buy their essential items in order to minimize movement of people and vehicles across the city, this has largely been flouted as well.

“In order to ensure that the FCT does not witness an escalation in the number of COVID-19 positive cases and prevent a public health emergency, the FCT Administration has resolved on the following new measures to enforce the cessation of movement and ensure it’s compliance by residents of the FCT.

“Market operational days are henceforth reduced to two days in a week namely Wednesdays and Saturdays only.

“Residents should patronize only neighborhood markets as movement from one district to the other now constitutes a violation of the lockdown.

“Mobile courts will now be activated to try all violators of the directive on the cessation of movement across the FCT.

“Motorcycles (Okada) are henceforth barred from operating anywhere in Kubwa and Dutse Alhaji during the lockdown.”

Furthermore, he disclosed that FCTA will step up sensitization efforts especially in the rural communities even as he enjoined Area Council Chairmen, traditional rulers and community leaders to actively engage in sensitizing the populace on the dangers of COVID -19.

Also, he reiterated the FCT Administration’s deep commitment to ensuring that the COVID-19 pandemic remains controlled in the FCT.

Malam Bello further called on all residents to join hands in the fight to curtail the spread of the virus especially into our rural and suburban communities.