The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) on Saturday urged Kano State Government to adequately secure its land borders currently being used to gain entrance into despite lockdown order.
Last week governor Abdullahi Ganduje announced a seven -day lockdown in Kano state to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The CITAD’s head of Campaigns and Communication, Ali Sabo, in a statement said the centre had monitored non compliance with motorists and motorcyclists using local feeder routes and bush paths to enter kano.
The official said CITAD’s partners and observers in the state indicate that still the state’s borders are so porous with little presence of security personnel which allows people to enter the state from many directions.
Mr Sabo said it is only when every entry and exit point are secured we can be able to defeat the deadly virus that is on the rise everyday and threatening our existence.
He said further that some defaulting travelers are still entering the state through Rano Local Government Area using a feeder roads from Kwanar Dangora, Gwangwan town then to Rano town. To avoid being noticed, sometimes they follow push paths that link them to the feeder roads to Rano and pass through Rano town.
Also, the Zakirai-Ringim border which links to Taura, Kafin Hausa, Auyo and Hadejia is also still accessible by motorists with little hindrance. Most of the travelers according to our sources are Okada Riders who are returning from Abuja, Lagos, and Shagamu, this might lead to widespread community infection of coronavirus, the official said in the statement.
Meanwhile, in the metropolis, “many residents ignored the directive and continue with their routine activities, including observing of Friday prayers in some mosques despite the lockdown order meant to prevent the spread of COVID-19, he added.
The challenge of the state has been compounded following some members of the State’s taskforce on COVID-19 have tested positive, resulted to many of of them are now in isolation, with this, there are vacuum of leadership to coordinate the efforts of the Government in responding to the challenges of the COVID19 in the state, the statement said.
“We call on the Kano State Government to as matter of urgency to ensure that border patrol should not be limited to highway, also feeder roads, including footpaths, around borders communities should also be included to prevent the spread of coronavirus, Mr Sabo said in the statement.
