By Cliffsimeon Akalonu
or contravening the lockdown order, Officers of the Oyo State Road Transport Management Authority (OYRTMA) have impounded about 36 commercial trailers and other articulated vehicles belonging to haulage and logistics companies from different locations during its routine operations and surveillance in the State.
According to a statement from the state’s Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Information, Culture & Tourism, Hon. Wasiu Olatunbosun, PhD., the Executive Chairman, OYRTMA, Dr. Akin Fagbemi revealed that the operators of the trucks while coming into or passing through Oyo State to other parts of the country willfully boycotted the lock-down orders of neighbouring States, using their trucks to convey multitude of persons as against the approved carriage of food items, pharmaceutical products and other essential goods/services.
Fagbemi said, “while the Authority and other Government agencies are in high spirit and rejoicing with the Executive Governor of Oyo state, His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde over his recent conquer of the lethal COVID-19 by testing negative to the virus twice, some articulated trucks and trailers numbering about 36 were impounded in Oyo State between Wednesday 1st of April, 2020 and Wednesday 8th of April 2020 for violating the restriction of movement orders of the State Government, having previously established that the virus is majorly transmitted through human movements from one place to another”.
“these articulated vehicles were seen conveying hundreds of persons as against the approved food items, pharmaceuticals and other essentials without any official permit or convincing reasons”, Fagbemi said.
He pointed out that that these acts negate efforts by the Oyo State Government to mitigate the spread of the novel Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) through inter and intra State vehicular movements and influx of foreign persons into the State.
Fagbemi warned all companies, drivers of articulated trucks, who engage in such act, adding that any vehicle impounded shall be made to face the full wrath of the extant laws of the State.