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The Police on Friday prevented hundreds of passengers from entering Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, Nigerian Tribune reports.
The Police team who are monitoring and enforcing the lockdown order put in place by President Muhammadu Buhari in Lagos and Ogun States was led by the led by Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Zone 11, Bashir Makama.
Makama, who personally supervised the enforcement of the lockdown order at the Ogunmakin boundary, stopped all vehicles coming towards the Oyo State capital.
At the boundary, several commercial vehicles from Lagos and Ogun states were prevented from entering Ibadan, with security operatives, including the Police, Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), turning them back to where they were coming from.
However, instead of turning back to to Lagos and Ogun states, the passengers disembarked, and with their loads on their heads, began trekking towards Ibadan, which is still about 30 kilometers into the Oyo State capital.
Speaking with, one of the passengers who opted to continue his journey to Ibadan on foot said he left Lagos around 3:00 a.m but got stuck at Ogunmakin as police operatives prevented them from proceeding on their journey into Ibadan.
The passenger, who declined to mention his name said life was becoming unbearable in Lagos and he decided to come down to Ibadan to survive before the lockdown is lifted in Lagos.
He said: “Apart from the fact that we are hungry, armed robbers and hoodlums have been disturbing us in Lagos.
“I prefer to stay in Ibadan until everything returns to normal.”
Speaking, Makama wondered why people would not adhere to simple instructions.
“The directive by the Federal Government on the lockdown in Lagos and Ogun states is for the benefit of the people, so why is it that people are moving into Ibadan and defying the lockdown?
“The police and other security agencies have been preventing them from entering Oyo State and we will continue to do that,” he said.
The AIG, however, said things are better at the Asejire boundary leading into Osun State and the Bakatari boundary leading into Ogun State, as people complied with the no inter-state movement.
He said with the resolve of security agencies in preventing people and vehicles from entering Oyo State, people will learn to obey the lockdown directive of government.
Makama also visited Dugbe market which was razed by fire two days ago.
The AIG, who oversees Oyo, Osun, and Ondo police commands, said the police would look at ways to sensitise the people on how to prevent future fire incidents.