Bayelsa enforces lockdown at boundary

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri made an unscheduled visit Friday to the state’s border points with Delta and Rivers States in demonstration of his seriousness to enforce the two-week interstate lockdown agreed by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.

Governor Diri, who first visited Adagbabiri, the boundary community with Patani in Delta State, virtually took the security personnel at the entry point unawares as he arrived unannounced in an unmarked Hilux vehicle.

He immediately went into checking of vehicles coming into Bayelsa and anyone without the approved permit to be on the road was asked to turn back and prevented from entering the state.

Mr Daniel Alabrah, quoted him as saying that he would embark on such surprise visits regularly to border points to underscore the seriousness of his administration to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

“We cannot sleep or rest while we have an enemy we cannot see. COVID-19 is an enemy that we must fight till it is completely defeated,” the governor said.

Governor Diri directed the Divisional Police Officer at Kaiama, Mr E Elisha, to ensure strict compliance with the lockdown directive on border entry points in order to prevent the spread of the virus.