The Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA), has urged security agents to show restraints in enforcing lockdown order arising from Coronavirus pandemic.The Chamber’s President, Mr Chris Ukachukwu, gave the warning in a statement on Friday in Awka, Anambra.Ukachukwu expressed displeasure over the alleged extra judicial killings by security agents in Anambra and some parts of the country due to the lockdown.
The lockdown was ordered by the Federal and some State Governments to contain the spread of Covid-19 in the country.Ukachukwu said there should be utmost restraint in enforcing the lockdown order as the citizenry were already challenged by the psychological and economic effects of the pandemic.
The president urged security agencies to exercise the highest form of discretion, empathy and responsibility in handling the situation.“COVID-19 pandemic is surely ravaging the world and according to World Health Organization (WHO), there is currently no generally certified vaccine to ameliorate this pandemic hence, the remedy remains prevention.
“This explains the lockdown measure taken by the state government as a way of reducing person-to-person contact that may lead to spreading of the disease.“However, the Chamber has noticed with dismay, the rate of killing and manhandling of unarmed civilians by security operatives following the lockdown order by the Anambra government.
“The shooting of two young men in Nkpor in addition to a trending online video in which law enforcement personnel shot at the front tyres of a man driving to a bank ATM to withdraw money, are quite unfortunate and highly condemnable.“This lockdown is aimed at securing the lives of the citizens but statistics has shown that over 18 persons have been killed bysecurity operatives nationwide, Anambra inclusive, “he said.
According to Ukachukwu, most citizens live from hand-to-mouth as their disposable income is very minimal to stock up food at once and families were therefore, forced by hunger to go in search of food daily.“Again, some families have pregnant, sick and elderly members who are either on routine checkups or requiring hospital attention within this period.
“While we plead with the citizenry to respect security operatives and comply with laid down procedures detailed by the state government regarding this lockdown, we also urge security agents to be gentle on them,” he said.
Ukachukwu urged the government to urgently liaise with heads of security agencies to review their mandate and the mode of operation by their officers.He said that what was obtainable in some states was that defaulters were civilly arrested and arraigned in a mobile court where appropriate penalties were meted out if found guilty.
The president also appealed to the state government to execute a more effective palliative programme for the indigent across the 21 local governments of the state.”I think a robust palliative programme should have preceded the lockdown order to mitigate citizens defying the order in search of daily food”. (NAN)
