Coronavirus: Lagos police arrest 202 people for violating lockdown order
- At least 202 people were arrested in Lagos on Thursday, April 9 for violating federal government's lockdown order
- The arrest was carried out by the Lagos state police command which tweeted a photo of the suspects
- The Lagos state assembly had passed a law allowing law enforcement to detain whoever flouts orders aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19
The Lagos state police command has confirmed the arrest of no fewer than 202 people who violated the lockdown ordered by the federal government of Nigeria to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The command posted on its official Twitter handle that the suspects were arrested in different parts of the Lagos metropolis for converging, thereby violating the order on social distancing during the lockdown.
According to the police, the people converged to play football and do aerobic exercises among other things.
In the photo of the arrested suspects tweeted by the police, Legit.ng confirmed that many of them were in sports gear.
To curb the spread of the dreaded coronavirus pandemic, the Lagos House of Assembly had passed into law a bill empowering security agencies to arrest residents who flout directives aimed at stopping COVID-19 in the state.
The lawmakers passed the bill at their plenary on Thursday, March 26.
The bill, titled: "A law to combat and stop the spread of coronavirus pandemic in Lagos state and for connected purposes,'' also empowered Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to spend at least N20 billion to combat the pandemic in the state.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), DCP Olatunji Disu, led a team of police officers to impound 13 vehicles in Alapere area of the metropolis for not complying with the stay-at-home order of the federal government, just as the team dispersed a group of over 150 youths engaged in physical exercise at Ketu area of Lagos.
Speaking on the exercise, DCP Disu stated that the impounded vehicles, which included three cars, seven buses and three 4-Wheel Drive Jeeps, were caught carrying passengers without a valid excuse, thereby violating the directive of the government.
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While noting that motorists on essential services and those with a valid reason for being on the road despite the directive were allowed passage, Disu said all the vehicles impounded have since been handed over to Alapere divisional police station for further investigation.
Legit.ng notes that even law enforcement officers are not allowed to violate rules during the lockdown.
The Lagos state police command arrested two police officers for allegedly extorting a lady whose vehicle was impounded by traffic police.
Bala Elkana, the spokesperson of the Lagos police command said the officers were identified after analyzing a video where the lady accused the men of extorting money from her.
The spokesperson identified the officers involved in the alleged extortion as ASP Adebayo Ojo and Sergeant Adeleke Mojisola.
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Source: Legit.ng