Chairman, Council of Traditional Rulers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Adamu Baba Yunusa, has urged the federal government and the nation’s capital administration to adopt stringent measures to curb night travels between Abuja and other states of the federation which violate curfew in place.
Dr. Yunusa, who is also the Onah of Abaji Area Council observed that several vehicles have been seen moving from Kaduna, Lokoja and out of the territory through Abaji, a border town at night despite the ban.
In an interview at his palace in Abaji, the Onah urged security agencies to sit up and address the worrisome situation by properly policing the highways even as he commended the restriction of movement and declared that it would assist reduce the spread of coronavirus in the country.
Dr. Yunusa remarked that the Federal Government meant well by placing restrictions on inter-state movement but the monarch regretted that some unscrupulous security officials on night duty have continued to allow vehicles carrying passengers which are not listed as essential to and from the states.
“The problem is that of compliance with the directive. We hear many vehicles passing around here between 1am and 2am in Abaji which is a border town and this calls for concern.
“I will only appeal to security agencies especially the police to live up to the expectations of the people by doing their duties as it should be done,” he said.
The monarch said: “We hold meetings regularly with the police on security matters but now that this health matter has cropped up, it is only natural that the Police should be more vigilant to ensure that people coming from neighbouring states do not bring Civid-19 into Abuja.”
Dr. Yunusa also appealed to Muslims to respect the authority of the Sultan of Sokoto as the leader of Muslims in Nigeria and stop bickering about the Sultan’s pronouncements on Islamic religious obligations.
He frowned that some Muslims protested when the Sultan extended the Ramadan festival date by one day to coincide with the celebration date in Saudi Arabia and added that as the leader of Muslims in Nigeria, the Sultan has the authority to take decisions that affect the religion and its adherents.
Dr. Adamu Baba Yunusa also praised the Minister, Mallam Muhammed Bello and Minister of State, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, for directing attention to satellite towns and neglected communities in the spread of social amenities such as pipe-borne water and the Covid-19 palliatives.
The monarch thanked God Almighty for the successful end of the Muslim fasting month and he called on adherents of the religion to maintain peace and be their brother’s keepers by respecting every resident of the territory.
