Ogun residents brace up for commencement of total lockdown

Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, was yesterday a beehive of activities as residents prepared for the commencement, today, of the total lockdown of public activities as the state government intensifies its efforts on curtailing the coronavirus crisis. Daily Trust correspondent reports that residents besieged major markets like Kuto, Lafenwa, Omida and Olomore to stock their […]

Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, was yesterday a beehive of activities as residents prepared for the commencement, today, of the total lockdown of public activities as the state government intensifies its efforts on curtailing the coronavirus crisis.

Daily Trust correspondent reports that residents besieged major markets like Kuto, Lafenwa, Omida and Olomore to stock their homes with essential commodities like foodstuffs, beverages and toiletries.

Commercial banks ATM stands equally witnessed huge numbers of customers making withdrawals, preparatory to the lockdown.

While a handful of customers at both the markets and ATM centres wore face masks and hand gloves, many others defied the social distancing advice given to prevent them from contracting COVID-19.

A customer at Kuto market, Mrs Bisi Adedipe, said she visited the market to buy foodstuffs that would be sufficient for her household through the 14-day lockdown.

“I have to stock my house with foodstuffs that will last me for the two weeks. I pray that this thing does not go beyond two weeks, otherwise we are all in trouble. I have equally gone to my bank to withdraw the little change I had there,” she said.

It was also observed yesterday that the hustling and bustling associated with motor parks had fizzled out in some parts of the state capital.

At the hitherto busy Ita-Oshin motor park, although there were activities at the entrance, the main park was virtually desolate due to a low number of passengers. There were passengers boarding for intra-state trips but no commercial vehicle was seen loaded for inter-state transportation.

A commercial driver, Alhajii Kamoru Ajisafe, lamented the effects of the directive limiting the number of passengers for inter-state commuting and the inter-state transport service ban.

Meanwhile, the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Kenneth Ebrimson, has warned officers and men of the police command to be civil with members of the public while enforcing the 14-day lockdown order imposed by the federal government.

Ebrimson handed down the warning when he went round the state for an on-the-spot assessment of border closure in Ogun State.

The police Commissioner, who expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the security agencies in the areas he visited, admonished them to be patient in explaining the rationale behind the lockdown to people and in persuading them to comply with the order