Lately, I have found myself in deliberate and unintended encounters with a number of Enugu residents who, out of misinformation or resentment, blame Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and his administration for the increasing number of novel coronavirus cases in Enugu State.

As at today, Enugu has a cumulative number of 10 confirmed cases, two discharged, with zero casualties. It remains one of the states in Nigeria with nominal cases; but notions and eavesdropping from those quarters reveal that they are either misguided, oblivious or less-concerned about the sabotage by security agencies and unpatriotic citizens on the proactive measures are taken by the state government to curtail the coronavirus outbreak to its barest minimum.

Policies embarked upon by the government include but not limited to:

( a). Designating Enugu State Medical Diagnostic Centre, Okpara Avenue, Enugu, as an Isolation and Treatment Centre, to expand capacity to tackle the pandemic should the state experience a proliferation of the disease.

(b). Provision of 100 modern hospital beds with mattresses, pillows and beddings; 100 drip stands; 100 bedside lockers; 100 over-bed tables and 100 ward screens, among others.

(c). In the wake of the pandemic, the governor “quickly constituted a robust and well-resourced multi-sectoral rapid response team, activated the emergency operation centre (EOC) and established three isolation and treatment centres” in Enugu and Nsukka.

(d). Shutting down of all educational institutions and public ministries, with the work from home strategy.

(e). Directing all public transport operators in the state to observe social and physical distancing: tricycle riders should not convey more than two passengers, commuter buses not carry more than two passengers per seat, and city cabs not carry more than three passengers.

(f). Ban of all social and cultural gatherings in the state.

(g). Shutting down of non-essential markets in the state.

(h). Public orientation on hand-washing with soap and water, alcohol-based based hand sanitisers.

(i). Directing all local government chairmen to distribute COVID-19 palliatives.

(j). Personal monitoring of the state boundaries by the state governor, which saw him at Ebonyi state boundary.

(k). Constant meeting with religious leader compliance.

(l). Establishment of on-the-radio studies for Enugu pupils.

Sadly, the security agencies, especially the Nigerian Police Force - who have the responsibility to implement the interstate travel ban of the federal and state governments aimed at curtailing the coronavirus spread and protecting the lives of Enugu people - suffer from a long history of corruption. The police which hold a known record as the most corrupt institution in the country has renewed its corrupt strategy to cash in from the pandemic, against public interest.

According to a survey by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), “a bribe is paid in 54 per cent of interactions with the police. In fact, there is a 63 per cent probability that an average Nigerian would be asked to pay a bribe each time he or she interacts with the police. That is almost two out of three.”

This increasing rate of corruption does not only have an effect on the internal insecurity of the federation but encourages injustice and human right abuses through their extra-judicial killings, arrest and illegal detention of citizens. But it has exacerbated lately as they now receive monetary payoffs from defiant motorists who convey people from the various epicentres of COVID-19 to Enugu State, thus sabotaging the proactive measures of Ugwuanyi’s administration.

Just after the report and subsequent discharging of the first 2 index cases in the state (the London-travelling citizens), which led to the eventual closure of interstate verges, one would assume that both the populace and the security agencies, who guard the interstate routes on the various highway checkpoints, to enforce compliance of the lockdown order. Such would be in obedience to the Federal Government, the NCDC and the State Ministry of Health for the best interest of the public. But, a few weeks along, there were reports of alleged absorbent state of our boarders and how the police trade with public health.

A few weeks later, a third confirmed case was recorded of a traveller from Bauchi, who went to Jos, Plateau State, from where the case contacted the virus and subsequently travelled back to Enugu (10 hours 13 minutes journey). This and other related cases justify the claim that our security agencies are not living up to their responsibility and have continued to sabotage the efforts of the state government.

But just as Franklin D Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States, in one of his popular quotes, asserts: “Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a president and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.” It is a duty of all well-meaning Ndi-Enugu to join hand with the responsive state government and ensure strict and total compliance with the boundary closure.

It is pertinent to commend some youth organisations, youth leaders, and some local government chairmen who are living up to this objective. Video has emerged of how the deputy chairman of Awgu Local Government Area, Mr Lotachukwu Remy Ogbonnia, intercepted a truck-load of almajiri from the north which was concealed as goods; other videos have been seen of how the youths of the Nsukka hemisphere such as Sen Chijinkem Ugwuanyi, Ambassador, etc., intercepted and turned back many vehicles defaulting the lockdown directive, this is quite commendable and worthy of emulation.

Enugu State Government has been up to the task, as we have seen.

We are also expecting an immediate re-jig of our internal security, thereby engaging some ad-hoc citizens alongside the neighbourhood watch and forest guards to work with the conventional security agencies.

The Enugu House of Assembly should enact the necessary legislation to check any security personnel caught receiving monetary inducement. This is with a view to ensuring complete compliance with the boundary closure and safety of Enugu people.

God bless Enugu State!

Sullivan Edeani, Enugu State Lead, RaisingNewVoices.org, can be reached on Twitter @SullivanEdeani.

Update news