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  • Mar, Fri, 2020
Health

COVID-19: KNSG enforces border closure midnight, March 27

Border

By Rabiu Sani

Kano, March 27, 2020 (NAN) Kano State Government says it has deployed security personnel to enforce compliance with restrictions on movement of persons on its borders to prevent spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Baffa Dan-Agundi, Managing Director, Kano State Road Traffic Authority (KAROTA), made the disclosure at a press conference, on Friday in Kano.

Dan-Agundi disclosed that the measures were part of resolutions of the Kano State Security Committee meeting presided by Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, on Thursday, March 26.

He said that the committee deliberated extensively on precautionary measures against the pandemic.

It also deliberated on how to prevent persons infected with the virus from accessing entry or moving out of the state through land borders and airport.

Dan-Agundi, who is also a member of the committee, said the measure was imperative to safeguard public health and protect people against the virus.

He said: “Nobody is allowed to come into Kano State through its borders or to go out through its borders to neighbouring states.

“No vehicle whether private vehicles or passengers will be allowed entry into Kano State as from 12 midnight of Friday, March 27.

“However, items allowed in or out of the state include food items, raw materials for factories, petroleum products, drugs, medical equipment, textile materials and general goods for transaction between Kano and other states.

“Only the driver and his assistant are certify to enter Kano State with the goods.

“If you transport raw materials and at the same time convey passengers you will be denied entry and ask to go back.

“Also, drivers transporting goods will not be granted passage out of the state if found conveying passengers”.

Dan-Agundi said teams of security personnel, comprising the Police, Nigeria Customs, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Nigeria Immigration Service (NCS) would enforce compliance.

According to him, others such as KAROATA, Hisbah Board, personnel of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and health workers will also be deployed to enforce compliance with restriction order in eight major routes in the state.

Dan-Agundi noted that the state government had provided adequate equipment to facilitate screening of drivers of vehicles conveying goods at the borders or passengers at airport, adding that suspected case would be isolated for proper medical attention.

He said that intra-city movement of persons and business activities would not be affected as the state scales up campaign activities, while effective modalities had been put in place to monitor the situation.

The Managing Director of KAROTA urged the people to support government efforts to contain spread of the virus, observe precautionary measures, maintain good personal hygiene and pray for an end to the pandemic.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that membership of the Kano Security Committee is made up of the state governor, his deputy, police, military and other paramilitary organizations as well as community leaders.

The state government had earlier set up a task force committee on the pandemic, closed schools, sports and event centres as well as encouraged people to practice social distancing to prevent spread of COVID-19. (NAN)

RSA/KTO/MNA

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Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Maureen Atuonwu

 

Economy

Border closure: Joint security operatives seize N1.4bn items – CG

Border closure: Joint security operatives seize N1.4bn items – CG

By Mustapha Sumaila
Seizure
Abuja, Oct. 14, 2019 (NAN) The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), retired Col. Hammed Ali, said operatives of the ongoing Joint Border Security had seized items worth N1.4 billion since the partial closure of borders.
Ali disclosed this during a joint news conference with his counterpart from the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr Mohammed Babandede, in Abuja on Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the joint border security exercise, codenamed “Exercise Swift Response”, commenced operation on Aug. 20.
It is set up to ensure a better security of the country’s territorial integrity, particularly the land and maritime borders against trans-border security concerns.
The exercise is being coordinated by Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in the four zones of North-West, North-Central, South-West and South-South geopolitical zones.
Ali explained that the items seized since the commencement of the exercise were 21,071 of 50Kg of per boiled foreign rice; 190 vehicles; 891 drums filled with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), and 2,665 jerricans of vegetable oil.
He said other items were 133 motorcycles; 70 jerricans of PMS, and 131 bags of NPK fertiliser.
The customs boss explained that unscrupulous elements used such fertilisers for explosives to perpetuate mayhem in the country.
According to him, 95 per cent of illicit drugs and weapons use for terrorism come through the porous borders.
He further stated that the rate of insecurity in the country had reduced dramatically since the closure of borders.
He disclosed that 317 suspected smugglers and 146 illegal migrants have so far been arrested during the exercise.
Ali said the partial border closure had also boosted the revenue being generated by the service. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Agency provides border communities with N270m social amenities 

Agency provides border communities with N270m social amenities 

NAN-H-10

Projects

By Shuaibu Tatu

Bagudo (Kebbi State), Jan. 20, 2017 (NAN) The Border Community Development Agency (BCDA) has awarded N270 million contracts for the provision of social amenities for border communities in Bagudo Local Government Area in Kebbi State.

Mr Numoipire Wills, the Executive Secretary of the agency, announced this in the border town of Tungan Kungi, a neighbouring community with Republic of Benin, on Friday.

Wills said out of the amount, a rice milling centre was established to enable small scale farmers in the area to process their agricultural produce, specifically rice, which is produced in commercial quantity.

He listed other contracts awarded as the construction of four houses of 1-2 bedroom bungalows in Tungan Bagiri, also a neighbouring community with Benin republic.

He said the houses were built in order to enhance social interaction between the people of Nigeria and Benin Republic.

He said the houses were equipped with solar powered boreholes to make them accessible and habitable by beneficiaries.

Willis further explained that a nomadic primary school was also constructed with six blocks of classrooms, toilets and office accommodation for the headmaster.

According to him, the project is to facilitate learning of nomadic children and other members of the community.

“The BCDA also constructed a primary health centre with solar powered borehole in Kwakwaba village, Dandi Local Government Area, also bordering Benin Republic,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Special Duties, Nasiru Zangon-Daura, said at the event that the committee was tasked with overseeing activities of the agency.

Zangon-Daura said 2,000 communities in 105 local government areas had so far benefitted from a variety of developmental projects by the Federal Government under the agency.

The lawmaker said the essence of the projects was to bring socio-economic development to the border communities; as well as to boost the image of Nigeria as a mother of Africa.

Malam Hamidu Dobi, the Village Head of the community, expressed appreciation to the federal government for the projects.

Dobi said the projects would give his people a sense of belonging and make them have confidence in governance.

NAN reports that the people of Gesaye village presented a gift of a cow to officials of BCDA as a show of appreciation for the projects. (NAN)

SZT/BKD/DOR/MST

Edited by Nyisom Dore/Muhammad Suleiman Tola