Kaduna to prosecute anyone concealing COVID-19 case

Why virus spreads in North, by Sani Over 250 lockdown violators arraigned in Katsina

Kaduna State Government has warned that anyone who conceals a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) positive status will be prosecuted. It has, however, traced up to 95 per cent of contacts and discovered 28 active cases.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Mohammed-Baloni, stated yesterday that one of the two isolated males who were receiving treatment had died.
She said, “He was a retired civil servant, male, with underlying medical conditions, who concealed his recent travel to Kano when he visited a public hospital and a private hospital.

“He was eventually admitted at the isolation center with respiratory distress. He died before his positive test result was released. He is the first COVID-19 fatality in Kaduna State.”

Meanwhile, rights activist, Senator Shehu Sani, has said that illiteracy and religious dogmatism are responsible for the high rate of death and spread of COVID-19 in Kano and other states in the North.

Sani, in a statement at the weekend, said that despite the campaign against the spread of the virus, many people in the North, particularly in Kano, did not believe in the orthodox and western prescriptions to fight the spread of the disease, while warning against the genocide such attitude might bring about in the entire region.

However, more than 250 vehicle owners have been arraigned at special mobile courts for violating the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-induced lockdown in Katsina State.

This is in addition to hundreds of vehicles impounded by security operatives since the lockdown commenced some days ago. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Gambo Isah, stated at the weekend that those charged include 155 car owners, 17 tricycle operators, and 106 motorcyclists. He said the violators were sentenced to various fines with or without community services, ranging from N3,000 to N10,000.

The statement added that four car owners and 35 motorcyclists were still under investigation. It added that 159 automobiles, 17 tricycles, and 141 motorcycles had been impounded since the lockdown began.

Governor Aminu Masari had, at various times, ordered lockdown of 10 councils, including Daura, Dutsinma, Katsina, Mani, Safana, Kankia, Matazu, Musawa, Jibia and Batagarawa. The lockdown involved closing of borders linking the state with Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa and Niger Republic, to check the spread of the pandemic.

But following violations of the order by motorists, the state government set up mobile courts, usually accompanied by security operatives who would enforce the decision of the courts.

Isah said, “To ensure total compliance with the lockdown law, the joint security forces have so far impounded 159 automobiles, 17 tricycles and 141 motorcycles and the owners charged to court for violation of the Quarantine and Restriction of Movement Regulation, 2020.

“The violators were sentenced to various fines with or without community services, ranging from N3000 to N10,000. “In the light of the foregoing, the Command enjoins the people of the state to strictly comply with the provision of the Quarantine and Restriction of Movement Regulations, as it is in the best interest of the state.”