Osun intensifies efforts to curb Coronavirus, barricades borders

In a bid to curb the spread of Coronavirus in Osun, the state Government has mounted barricades at all boundaries and major roads of the state to ensure total compliance with its lockdown directive.

This is coming barely days after Osun State Police Command intercepted some people transporting a corpse suspected to have died from COVID-19 complications from Oyo state.

This was contained in a statement jointly released by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Ismail Omipidan, the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs. Funke Egbemode.

According to the statement, the step is imperative to enforce compliance to 14 days total lockdown directive issued by the state government.

Egbemode said: “The barricades were erected to throttle back unauthorised movements across the state. The government was intensifying efforts to flatten the curve of COVID-19 in the state and avoid a resurgence of the disease.

“The government is determined to protect Osun and its citizens. Hence, this move by the government is to keep defiant people from hurting themselves and endangering others.

“The barricades will only be opened to essential duty vehicles, conveying materials needed for the fight against COVID-19. Non-essential travels and movements remain banned in the state till further notice.”

Also reacting on the development, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Adeleke Yekini Adebayo who is also a member of the state COVID-19 Task Force disclosed that the government installed physical barricades at its boundaries to ensure the safety of its citizens.

He stressed that the action was to prevent human and vehicular movements from neighbouring states with an increasing number of COVID-19 cases.

He said that the laws guiding the operation of the total lockdown and the general security of the people remained in force, adding that “relevant security agencies are on the alert to ensure total compliance of the regulation and guarantee safety and security of the people.”