Ebonyi State government said it is prepared to test 2,000 people in the state within the next two weeks to show its readiness to combat the Cornavirus pandemic.
Governor David Umahi who stated this at the weekend also declared a dusk to dawn curfew to reduce movements within the state, thereby preventing community transmission of the dreaded Coronavirus disease.
He said within the next two weeks, his government will be embarking on a random testing of all residents.
Umahi said: “We have directed the commencement of aggressive testing of at least 10 persons per ward. The chairmen, coordinators, royal highness and our people must identify the homes to be tested before the next five days”.
“This assignment must be completed within two weeks. So, within the next two weeks, we are going to test 2000 people in Ebonyi State.”, he said
The Governor also announced a 7pm to 7am curfew in the State and directed security agencies and the anti-coronavirus taskforce to arrest anybody found outside his residence within the period.
He however, exempted those offering ‘essential services’ such as health workers, security agents, and media workers who must have pass or permit.
“I hereby direct a total lockdown of the entire state from 7a.m to 7p.m and anybody found outside within this period must be arrested and prosecuted. Only those offering essential services such as security agents, health workers, Media workers, who must have pass are exempted”, Umahi said.
Ebonyi is yet to record any coronavirus case since the outbreak in Nigeria.
Governor Umahi also announced the rijig of security at the borders with seven checkpoints to forestall incidence of smuggling of people into the state.
He added that his administration was making plans to also install CCTV camera at the border locations to be getting daily videos of happenings at the borders.
“We have agreed to have seven blockages in each border location. Each entry point of Ebonyi State will have seven blockages. The first one at the boundary between us and another state will be manned by the Army and Army alone. Nobody else will be there.”
“Then, at a distance that will be agreed by the Deputy Governor and the security chiefs, the police will mount their own. Only the police will be there. We don’t want anybody else. Third point will be where the other service chiefs will contribute personnel and mount blockage.”
The fourth one will be the Neighborhood Watch. The fifth one will be Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) The sixth one will be the Royal Highnesses and the Town Union Presidents and the seventh one will be the local government Chairmen and the Coordinators. “This is with immediate effect. Let us see how the leakage will happen. And if Army passes any vehicle and it is detected against the law by the police, we will ask questions from the Army. It will help us know where the leakage is coming from”, Umahi said.