By Kemi Yesufu
Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, on Thursday appealed to the public to cooperate fully with security personnel on duty to enforce the Covid-19 lockdown as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari and some state governors.
Muhammadu who gave a pass mark to personnel of the NCDC on duty across the country, told Frontline News Online in an exclusive interview on Thursday in Abuja, that the eleven thousand personnel from the NSCDC sent out to play the role of enforcement of rules during the lockdown were given orders to treat anyone they encounter with civility.
He said: “We met with the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 and the role assigned to us is that of enforcement. In carrying out this assignment, I cautioned those sent out to be civil with the public. In fact, I didn’t send any armed personnel out for the enforcement of the COVID-19 lockdown. I instructed that no one on COVID-19 lockdown enforcement should carry arms and this instruction is fully obeyed.
“We are all over the country for this assignment. Initially, I deployed 9,500 personnel. But we soon realised the need to add more personnel to achieve the aims of the Federal Government to stop the transmission of the virus through an effective lockdown. So I sent out an additional number of two thousand NSCDC personnel. As I speak with you we have over eleven thousand personnel enforcing the lockdown”.
The NSCDC boss further appealed to Nigerians to obey the rules of the lockdown, as the country and the world is faced with an unusual challenge.
“It is important that we rid our country of this disease. I have appealed to Nigerians severally, that we all need to cooperate on important issues like fighting the COVID-19 virus. Nobody enjoys stopping his fellow citizens in the rain or sun. Why should I or any other security personnel enjoy stopping Nigerians for no good reasons?
“If security personnel, especially NSCDC personnel stop anyone as part of the enforcing the lockdown, please cooperate with them as we are on the streets for the good of our country. We are dealing with a virus that is highly infectious, a virus that by mere shaking of hands or a person sneezing can infect others”, Muhammadu added.
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