COVID-19 Lockdown: Anambra Govt Establishes Mobile Courts To Prosecute Offenders

The Anambra State government says it has established mobile courts to prosecute violators of COVID-19 guidelines.

The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr Don Adinuba, who disclosed this in a statement, said those to be prosecuted include people not wearing facemasks, those violating the social distancing protocol and interstate travel ban among others.

He said, “To protect Anambra from the untoward behaviour of these people which has colossal consequences, the state government has decided to set up mobile courts in various parts of the state to try offenders.

“The details of how the mobile courts will carry out their duties are being worked out by the Ministry of Justice.

“We will continue to work together to make Anambra State remain the safest place in Nigeria and elsewhere in every sense.”

He added that the government has also decided to set up a COVID-19 taskforce in each of the 326 wards in the state and that members will comprise of the Ministry of Health liaison officers, the officer in charge of the main primary healthcare in the ward, the youth leader in the ward, the woman leader in the ward, the development ward chairman and the councillor of the ward who will head it.

“Both task forces are to take to the grassroots the message of the dangers of COVID-19 and how to prevent the spread of the contagion.

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“In view of the above, members of our various communities are enjoined to provide relevant information to the task forces in the LGAs and in the 326 wards in Anambra State.

“Relevant information includes the presence of strangers in their midst, the return of persons who have in the last two weeks been to states with high incidences of the coronavirus pandemic and individuals who exhibit such COVID-19 symptoms as dry cough, constant sneezing and shortness of breath. They may report such cases to their community leaders like town union presidents general and traditional rulers.”

Adinuba explained further that the state’s second COVID-19 case was reported to the state by concerned individuals after he returned to the state from Kano and that it has led to the discovery of the last three cases declared in the state.