COVID-19: Police, FRSC Reinforce ​Inter-State Movement Restrictions

Police Reinforce ​Inter-State Movement Restrictions

Following unending inquiries on the status of essential workers in respect of the due enforcement of the national curfew and inter-state movement restriction orders emplaced by the Federal Government, it has become necessary to clear all ambiguity on the position of the Nigeria Police Force especially as it relates to persons on essential duties.

The Force wishes to state that it is not oblivious of the sensitive, indispensable, patriotic and frontline role of the nation’s workforce that falls within the category of Essential Service Providers particularly as it relates to efforts to curtail and contain the COVID-19 pandemic. To this effect, all essential workers including medical personnel, ambulance service providers, journalists, fire-fighters, etc remain exempted from the movement restriction orders as well as the national curfew.

Consequently, the Inspector General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has directed Zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and State Command Commissioners of Police to give maximum effect to these orders and extend due courtesies to essential service providers so affected and also ensure that personnel deployed for the enforcement duties respect the fundamental rights of the citizens.

Meanwhile, the IGP enjoins all workers who fall within these categories not to take undue advantage of their positions and privileges to advance other purposes not connected with the performance of their duties within the stated period.

DCP FRANK MBA
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
ABUJA
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COVID-19: FRSC Gears up for Partial Restrictions

Pursuant to the Presidential Task Force’s conveyance of President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive on extending the eased lockdown for another two weeks in the bid to further contain and control the spread of the disease for another 14 days effective from 1:59 Monday 18 May, 2020; the Corps Marshal Federal Road Safety Corps, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi has ordered Officers and men across the country to gear up and align completely with the ongoing enforcement on restrictions and physical distancing amongst vehicle occupants and carry out the Presidential directives with all vigour so as to contribute immensely in flattening the curve of the pandemic.

According to Bisi Kazeem, the Corps Public Education Officer, the Corps Marshal’s directive is to reiterate the commitment of the Federal Road Safety Corps towards sustaining existing collaborations with the Federal and State Governments in the fight against the ravaging Coronavirus, and further ensure that the order on restrictions are diligently and effectively enforced with all sense of professionalism, civility and resilience.

While charging the Commanding Officers to ensure adequate deployment of personnel on all routes, the Corps Marshal noted inter alia that as the Corps moves into the first week of the extension of phase one of the eased lockdown regime, personnel must show diligence and ensure total enforcement of all the measures in place. Particularly, the ban on interstate travels, physical distancing amongst commuters, and policy on use of masks/covering.
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Further to the afforementioned, he also sustained the initial order that no vehicle should be allowed to violate the directives as contained. According to him, except the vehicles and the occupants are accredited essential workers with proof of identification, Commanding Officers must ensure that the vehicles are impounded and the occupants handed over to the Police for prosecution in the Court of Law for contravening the Presidential Order on restrictions, social distance and stay at home.

He therefore advised citizens to comply with the restriction order or face the wrath of the law.

Oyeyemi also advised essential workers who might be tempted to compromise with the social distance directives in vehicles to restrain from such as the Virus does not discriminate nor spare anybody irrespective of class or profession.

Bisi Kazeem
Spokesperson FRSC