Oyo State Border Patrol team on Saturday nabbed nine indigenes of Sokoto around Asejiri, the boundary city between Oyo and Osun state, axis of Ibadan, in a dark blue coloured Toyota Hiace bus with registration number Sokoto WRN-49 XA.
During an interrogation at the Gbagi Divisional Police Station of the Oyo Command, the suspects explained that they all reside in Akure with the members of their immediate family but traveled to Sokoto for the burial of a relative before lock-down.
The driver of the bus, Muhammed Idris during interrogation supervised by Governor Seyi Makinde in company of Commissioner of Police Shina Olukolu, explained that they all got tired of the two weeks lockdown and were encouraged to embark on the journey when a returning indigene from Ibadan told them the interstate lockdown was not strict.
He said they were stopped at different locations during the journey but did all they could to beat the security patrol, adding that only in Kebbi state were they stopped and tested for the COVID-19.
He said they were released to continue the journey after the result came back negative.
While addressing reporters at the venue, Governor Makinde expresses surprise that some individuals could still embark on interstate travel despite the decision of all the state governors to enforce interstate lock-down.
He however did not rule out the return of the suspects to the state of origin as soon as the result is out.
Makinde said,
“First, they are not able to explain how they got here in the first instance, there is an interstate lock-down throughout the country and they claimed they came from Sokoto and they must have passed through so many states before getting here.
“We have taken their samples now, they cannot go anywhere now until they get the result and I have asked my Special Assistance (S.A Arewa) to talk to Seriki Shasha and then we will see if we can keep them in that community isolated until we have their result.
“Once we have their result, I’m also in discussion with the Governor of Sokoto State and more than likely, we are going to return them to Sokoto.”
“If those interstate garages are on lock-down, at least 80 to 85 percent of our problem would have been solved. Then you can be talking about each hawkers and all of those type of people. It is an ongoing discussion and I believe that will be the ultimate way to go for this period.”
Samples of the suspects were later taken for the coronavirus test by medical experts at the police station before the interrogation started.
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