Ekiti State Governmenthas said it will prosecute the soldier’s wife who came into the state from Katsina State with COVID-19 despite the lockdown order and prohibition of inter-state movement.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, said on Wednesday that the woman who came to visit her husband had committed an offence and would face prosecution.

Yaya-Kolade said, “Though it was the husband who alerted us, it isan offence against the state and the Ministry of Justice will take appropriate actions against her at the right time.”

She said the woman’s husband who was her only main contact had been quarantined for 14 days in line with the World Health Organisation guidelines.

The state government also saidit had arrested 10 people and hadkept themin quarantine followingmeasures to preventcoronavirus spreadin the state.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Health, Dr JimlasOgunsakin, saidseven of them returned to the state from Kano State. He said threeothers who are women forcibly entered the state.

Ogunsakin, who made therevelationin Ado Ekiti during an update on COVID-19 in Ekiti on Wednesday, said the women would be prosecuted.

He said,“We got several tip-offs from people and we acted on them. The Kano returnees came to Adeparusi Estate in Adebayo and some came to Atinkankan area. We got the information from the public and we got them arrested and they were quarantined immediately.”

Meanwhile, Governor Kayode Fayemi on Wednesday soughtthe support ofroad transport unions in the state towardsenforcing the inter-state travel ban.

Fayemi, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Biodun Omoleye, during a meetingbetween theCOVID-19 taskforce andtransport unions in the state, said the battle against the pandemic should be a collective thing.

The governor said the aim of the meetingwas to prevent furtherCOVID-19 cases in the state.

Hisdeputy, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, saidstate government had directed security agencies manning borders and checkpoints to henceforth carry out rigorous checks on vehicles conveying essential commodities acrossthe state, according toa statement by his Special Assistant (Media), Odunayo Ogunmola.

He said, “This government will not fold its arms and allow some individuals to sabotage its efforts in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and safeguarding the health of the people.

“We hereby directthesecurity agencies at the borders and checkpoints to henceforth scrutinise the interiors of all vehicles coming into or passing through the state in search of the people who might be hiding inside.” (The Punch)