COVID-19: Delta Taskforce Counter Gov. Okowa Lockdown’s Order, Force Residents Out For Sanitation, Assault NUJ Chair, One Other

Delta State Government Taskforce on Environment on Wednesday, forced residents of Otiotio Street, Uvwie council area out of their homes to observe environmental sanitation instead of observing the “Stay at home” ordered by the state government.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had in a broadcast citing the Quarantine Act and Public Health Laws, directed residents to be indoor as practical way of stopping the spread of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

“In the exercise of the powers conferred on me by the Delta State Public Health Law Cap P21 Laws of Delta State 2006, and in particular, section 8 of the Quarantine Act, Cap Q2 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, (having regard to the provisions of Sections 2,3 and 4 of the Quarantine Act, Cap Q2 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004), and further pursuant to the Infections Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulation 2020 and other enabling Laws and powers in that regard, I hereby order as follows:

“With effect from Wednesday, April 1, 2020, movement of people, goods and services into, within and out of all parts of Delta State are hereby stopped;

“All residents of the State not on essential duty or providing essential services are to stay at home till further notice”, Govenror ordered.

But the environmental officials led by one Kingsley Iweka, claiming they were instructed by the State Chairman of the Environment Taskforce, Mr. Sylvester Oromoni had compelled residents out of their homes to clean up their environment instead of observing the stay at home ordered by the governor.

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In carrying out the counter order, the over zealot taskforce officials reportedly attacked the State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ) Delta Council, Comrade Michael Ikeogwu as well as Daily Post Correspondent, Matthew Omonigho who were monitoring the level of compliance on the lockdown by residents in Warri.

Ikeogwu and the other journalists were said to have responded to a distress call from residents who decried the action of the taskforce at a time they were asked to be indoor for fear of the spread of the virus.

An attempt by Ikeogwu to make enquiries from the Environment Officials led by Kingsley Iweka, was greeted by stern confrontation by other members of the team numbering over twenty,

They were said to have descended on the NUJ Chairman and DAILY POST Correspondent and in an ensuing melee, destroyed Nikon D3100 photo-camera belonging to the Daily Post correspondent.

The two journalists were later held hostage for about 45 minutes by the taskforce who said the journalists would not leave until their state chairman order so.

The State Chairman of the Environment Taskforce, Mr. Syvelster Oromoni was said to have later calmed the nerves of his overzealous Officers through a telephone call after which the journalists were let off the hook.

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Comrade Ikeogwu who narrated his ordeal in the hands of the taskforce, said the lives of Journalists are not safe in the State.

He wondered what will become of the ordinary man in the street if Government Officials could attack and assault him and his colleague even after “I identified myself as the number one Journalist in the State”.

Ikeogwu also decried the incident as uncalled for, unwarranted and condemnable wondering why the taskforce would be working contravention to the order of Governor Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa.

“Today is not environmental sanitation. Why should a taskforce constituted for environmental sanitation come out on a day that people were asked to stay at home to enforce environmental sanition?

“Their order was further endangering the lives of the people as it contravenes the quarantine and social distancing order of the Governor. That was why I intervened to stop them from what they were doing. But they claimed that the order was from their Chairman.

“I am disappointed in the attitude of the leader of the team having after introduced myself to him who ordered his boys to attack me and my colleague.

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“I wish to call on the State Governor to look into this matter because many people will fall victim of this before the end of the lockdown order.

“It was the residents of the area who called us to come and see what is happening. How they were being forced to come and do environmental sanitation. However, I thank God it didn’t go beyond that.

“I have gone to treat myself because I was attacked”, Ikeogwu said.

Some residents of the area who spoke after the altercation between the NUJ Chairman and the Taskforce condemned the acts.

They said it was not environmental day just as they wondered why they were forced to come out for sanitation.

One of the resident simply identified as Mohammed said,”We were forced out of our houses. If you say No, they will beat and arrest you. That’s why I came out like other people for the sanitation. “

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When contacted, the state chairman of the environmental taskforce, Mr Oromoni, confirmed that he gave the order that residents would embark on sanitation same day the governor asked all to be indoor to stop the spread of COVID-19.