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No fewer than 100 persons, including commercial motorcycle and vehicle operators, passengers and others who violated the face mask guideline were arrested by men of the Ekiti State Traffic Management Agency (EKSTMA).
The state government on Monday began the enforcement of face masks wearing, in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
The EKSTMA General Manager, Chief Femi Olanrewaju, who made the disclosure in Ado Ekiti, said the operatives visited some major markets like Oja Oba, Bisi, Mojere, Irona and others in Ado Ekiti, the state capital on the need to comply with the guideline.
“The traders and everybody have to comply with the orders on face mask and social distancing. Anybody that defies the order will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly,” Olanrewaju said.
Governor Kayode Fayemi had last week through the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Olawale Fapohunda, announced that residents, transport operators and their passengers who violated the face mask and social distancing rules would be arrested and prosecuted effective from Monday.
While giving report of the operation on the first day, Olanrewaju, who said the offenders arrested on Monday were pardoned, disclosed that others arrested henceforth would be prosecuted in line with the laid down rules.
He said: “The enforcement exercise started today (Monday) and about 100 persons who violated the rules were arrested in some areas in the Ado Ekiti metropolis.
“What we did today (Monday) was a warning operation and that was why we pardoned the violators.
“But from Tuesday, every offender arrested will be tried properly at the Special Offences Court and proper punitive actions will be meted out to flouters, because the government is not ready to compromise the wellbeing of the people regarding COVID-19.”