PAUL ORUDE BAUCHI
A politician from Azare, Katagum Local government area of Bauchi State, Muktar  Bello, has warned that the current lockdown of some areas could kill more residents.
Speaking with our correspondent in Azare, Bello, opined that failure to provide palliatives before clamping total lockdown would worsen the situation.
“This lockdown is going to kill more people. People are already hungry.  I receive hundreds of messages from people who would say they barely made the fast yesterday. Meaning they managed to get one or two things to eat and the next day is fasting,” he said.
He explained the situation of poverty is worse in northern region.
“Millet is the stable here but the one that sold for N80 during President  Goodluck Jonathan is now selling at N200. That is what they will take to the machine to grind, get it to flour, and will make kunu or fura.or tuwo. Some.of them here in Azare take the kunu without sugar while others will barely get baobabs tree leaves to make soup”
“I swear people will rise. I am not calling on them to, but they will rise. People will damn the lockdown and COVID19 and come out because hunger is an already existing ailment and what is needed to cure hunger is food,” he said.
He believed that hunger will drive the people of Azare to resort to civil disobedience if palliative measures were not adequately and timely provided for the people.
“They were the first people to resist Boko Haram, they came out in their tens of thousands. Boko Haram killes 12 residents but none of them left Azare alive. Since then Boko Haram have not come near here. The people here are courageous. What l fear is the Federal and state government which fails them,” he opined
On the unusual deaths in Azare, Bello, said:
“The deaths are indeed absolutely high, alarmingly high but still I won’t attribute it to COVID19. Most of the people that died, died from their homes, not hospitals. They were carted from home to the cemetery so nobody has taken any blood sample or tests to prove that they died from COVID19.
“I have not seen one person who has received the palliatives. I am a grassroots politician who lives with the people here in Azare. I go to the farms and l see poverty yet government claim they have done things for 36 states. Somebody is definitely lying to the president,” he said.
“Suffering is an understatement and people will suffer more with the lockdown”