COVID-19: Oyo expresses concern over Ogbomoso’s porous borders
The Oyo state government has expressed worry over the influx of people into the state through its porous borders in Ogbomoso zone, without obeying the inter-state restriction order.
Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, said the state government would ensure that its border towns were effectively secured.
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Olatubosun spoke in company of other members of the media team of the state COVID-19 task force, while monitoring border lockdown compliance on Tuesday at Oki, Oko, Otee and Ijado Towns, the state borders with Osun and Kwara states respectively.
He decried the low level of compliance to the border closure order in the communities, urging residents to cooperate with security personnel manning the borders.
The commissioner said the state government would take all necessary measures to block all illegal boundary routes that motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians plied to enter Oyo state from Osun and Kwara states.
He called on the government of Osun and Kwara states to ensure that strict measures were in place at their respective borders.
According to him, this is a way of complementing the government’s efforts at enforcing total compliance to the interstate border closure.
He said the challenges of porosity being faced at the border posts wouldn’t have been experienced, if the two states manned their borders effectively.
Earlier, the Divisional Police Officer in Surulere Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Salawu Olayinka, briefed the commissioner on the challenges facing his personnel at the border posts in the areas.
According to Olayinka, residents of the border communities are not cooperating with the security personnel and are in the habit of threatening the policemen whenever we resist violation of the border closure.
“In fact, they have created footpaths in the bushes around here, as escape routes where people from Ejigbo in Osun state enter Oyo state,” he said.
Also, at the palaces of Oba John Akintola, the Alapa of Oki Town and Oba Solomon Akinola- Oloko of Oko Town respectively, Olatubosun sought for the cooperation of the monarchs to prevail on their subjects to abide with the movement restriction at the borders.
According to the commissioner, as at May 10, Oyo state recorded 64 cases of COVID-19 and seven of the cases are from Ogbomoso zone.
“Five of the seven cases are from here- Surulere Local Government Area, so our people should take the issue of coronavirus seriously by obeying all guidelines put in place by the administration of Gov. Seyi Makinde to contain the spread of the virus in the state,” he said.
