1 killed, 4 Injured, As Military Clash With Borno COVID-19 Committee

One person was killed, while four others injured as some soldiers on patrol crashed with the members of COVID 19 Response Committee while enforcing lockdown restriction of movement at the entrance of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

The Borno State Deputy Governor averted what could have been a great tragedy when he intervened in a clash between the state COVID 19 response Committees clash with the military while trying to enforced restriction of vehicular movement at the Auno Checkpoint at the entrance of Maiduguri, the state capital.

The incident occurred when some soldiers on routine patrol along the road came to the checkpoint when the committee members were checking the vehicles the passengers’ temperature, as well as their permit and broke the Barricade and allowed motorists into the city.

Our correspondent reports that in the process of breaking the barricade the gun truck behind of the soldiers forced the vehicle of hunters attached to the Rapid Response squad (RRS) to run into bush killing the driver of the vehicle while four others injured..

Addressing newsmen at the Njimtilo checkpoint, the Borno state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Umar Kadafur who is also the chairman of the Response Committee said “my attention was drawn to the incident that some soldiers attacked and prevent our committee members from carrying out their duty of enforcing the restriction of interstate movement. I quickly rushed to the scene and I was told that soldiers beat my cameraman and took away his camera, who was firm broke the barricade and opened the gate for motorists”

” I quickly called the garrison commander where he apologized and asked the officer in charge to bring back the camera, which he dud We have resolved the matter there is no cause for alar. right from here, I am going visit the injured members of RRS at the state Specialists hospital. Our committee is committed to ensuring that anybody with COVID 19 is allowed entrance into the city by screening detecting and treating the motorist and passengers coming into the city to curb the spread of the disease”, Hon Kadafur said.

Speaking to newsmen at the Njimtilo checkpoint, the Borno state commissioner for justice and the state Attorney General, Barrister Kakashehu Lawan said ” as a lawyer, I can’t take it lightly, I can’t be intimidated by anybody. I have seen a lot of threats from the military and Boko Haram, we are not going be deterred by anybody we will discharge our responsivity of protecting the people of Borno from COVID 19 The responsibility given to us by Governor Bsbagana Zulum.”

“I will personally take legal action to stop this impunity. They pointed a gun trick gun on me threatened to shot me. I told them I am a commissioner of Justice but the CO of the soldiers told me he does not care. in this democracy era this thing is happening despite the commitment of President Buhari to instilled rule of law”, Barrister Lawan said.

In his remarks, the secretary of the Response Committee who is also the state commissioner for Health, Dr Salihu Kwayabura said ” the committee will not be deterred in protecting our property from COVID 19 because 90 per cent of the cases recorded in Borno were detected from the travellers who violate the lockdown restriction. ”

Also speaking a medical personal Ibrahim Garba alleged that the military have to collect money from drivers and commuters to allow them in, adding that the worse part was that most of those coming in were not subjected to screening as required by the NCCC.