The Akwa Ibom State government has intercepted the corpse of a COVID-19 victim suspected to have been smuggled into the state from Lagos State.
It has since buried the corpse in accordance with the Covid-19 regulations.
However, Health Commissioner Dominic Ukpong said in Uyo that the six persons who transported the corpse were quarantined pending the outcome of their test for COVID-19.
He maintained that the deceased was transported in an ambulance from Lagos State on the night of Wednesday 6th May, 2020 and arrived Akwa Ibom State borders in the early hours of Thursday.
“But for the alertness of the police officers posted to our borders, the corpse would have successfully made it to its destination in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area,” he said.
The Commissioner was alarmed that Six (6) men bearing a corpse made it past other State borders without being intercepted.
The Abia State COVID-19 Task Force also intercepted and impounded an articulated truck for allegedly smuggling some people into the state.
The truck was intercepted on Aba road, Umuahia, the state capital for disobeying the COVID-19 border lockdown rules.
The truck driver and the human passengers were taken to the Umuahia North local government headquarters where other defaulters were kept to face the COVID-19 Mobile Court.
The truck driver who gave his name as Isah Amodu, said he was on his way to Nasarawa State from Awka Ibom. He claimed ignorance of any lockdown in the state.
The Chairperson of the state COVID-19 Taskforce, Betta Edu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Calabar that the trucks were intercepted by the Youths and Skills Acquisitions Commissioner Signor Idiege and a team of security operatives on enforcing the “No Entry” directive of the government at the border.
She said Mr Idiege also sent an escort to move with the trucks to ensure that they did not divert through any other route to the state.
“It is important for the Federal Government to support these people where they are rather than allow them move from one part of the country to the other.
“Remember COVID-19 does not move but people move, so, if these people are coming from states that have the virus, of course, for us in Cross River, we do not want them here.
“That is the only way we can reduce the number that is building every day and contain the virus,” she said.
