Odahiekwu Ogunde, Yenagoa
Many residents of Bayelsa State on Monday complied with the state government’s directive on mandatory wearing of face mask in all public places.
Checks by First News on Monday indicated high level of compliance by residents, especially in public places such as banks, supermarkets, motor parks and inside commercial vehicles, among others.
However, there were reports of alleged indiscriminate arrest of residents who were not wearing face masks by some security operatives in front of their homes and around the streets, contrary to government directive.
It was observed that many of the security operatives in the state did not comply with the directive, a development some residents found curious.
The government last Thursday declared that with effect from Monday, wearing of face masks in all public places would become compulsory to curtail the spread of coronavirus in the state.
It warned that the state’s COVID-19 Task Force would enforce compliance and criminalise offenders, based on the Executive Order signed by Governor Douye Diri.
Diri had announced the decision after a meeting with the representatives of financial institutions, major markets, including supermarkets operating in the state.
He explained that the compulsory wearing of face mask was sequel to the recent sudden rise in COVID-19 statistics announced for the state by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
Diri said, “The state government is going to enforce wearing of face mask in public places (from Monday). If you don’t have a face mask, don’t go near any of our markets, don’t go near any bank and even the precincts of the bank.
“You must be seen wearing a face mask, but if you don’t, the task force will hold the bank and customers without face masks liable. The same is applicable to the supermarkets.”
But reacting to the indiscriminate arrests of residents, a member of the task force and Technical Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Boma Spero-Jack, said those who carried out the arrests were not members of the sub-committee on security chaired by him.
“They are not my members. My members have not gone out today at all. None of my members has gone out to effect any arrest,” he stated.