COVID-19: Maiduguri streets deserted as residents observe lockdown

Residents of Maiduguri on Thursday complied fully with the directive to remain at home following a 14 – day total lockdown order issued by the state government as part of efforts to check the spread of coronavirus.

The lockdown took effect from 10.30pm of April 22.

Journalists who monitored the compliance level by residents, report that streets and highways were empty, just as the usual congregation prayers are not being observed in mosques.

Some residents, who spoke to reporters supported the lockdown, but urged government to do something about the high cost and shortage of foodstuff by allowing many stranded trucks with foodstuffs at the entry gate of the city access to the city.

“Our major problem now is the over 100 per cent rise in the price of foodstuffs occasioned by shortage caused by continuous delay by security in clearing many trucks bringing in foodstuff into the town.

“A lot of people want to buy food items for use during the Ramadan period, but many things are not available while those available are not affordable to the average man.

“A situation where people are scrambling over things like onions, eggs, local rice and others because many trucks conveying the items were not allowed in, is unfortunate at this critical time,” a resident of Gomari Ward, Usman Madugu said.

Madugu observed that a sack of onions, which used to sell for N6, 000, now attracts N12, 000, while a measure of local rice, which used to be N300 now sells for N700.

Another resident, Isaac Mbaya, alleged deliberate attempts by some people to cash on the lockdown and Ramadan, to maximize profit.

He therefore, called on government to probe why trucks conveying foodstuff were being delayed for many hours before clearance in what looked like an attempt to create artificial scarcity.

READ ALSO: FG distributes 2,2 62 bags of rice, oil, sugar to vulnerable Nigerians in Kebbi

“You cannot trust those middle men as they can deliberately create artificial scarcity to maximize profit at this critical time,” he said.

Habu Ibrahim, Abdulaziz Yakubu and Dorothy Isaac, urged government to commence the distribution of palliative to the needy to cushion the hardship.

Jafar Buba, a bachelor, urged Borno government to give the lockdown a human face in view of the Ramadan period by allowing food vendors to operate in the evening for bachelors to buy food.