Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Undie Adie has warned residents of the state not to contravene the rules guiding movement across the state as part of measure to contain COVID-19.
While emphasing that the command will be aggressive with anyone caught violating the order, Adie said that the use of force became imperative following the abuse of persuasion by residents.
Disclosing this in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Tee Leo, the police boss said: “We want inter-state travelers across the country and especially those with the aim of coming into Ondo State to know that Ondo police command, will this time, strictly enforce the dusk to dawn curfew imposed in the state.
“Adie said the command regrets its use of persuasion to encourage citizens to keep to the stay-at-home and the social distancing order of the state government as some citizens abuse it to a more disgraceful and disdained manner.
“With the daily discovery of new index cases across the country, the command will this time be a little more aggressive to enforce the curfew.
“If we don’t apply some drastic measures to drive home these directives and we continue to allow people wander from state to state with little or no reason to travel, we would end up blaming ourselves in the long run; but lest we do that our option now is the use of proportionate force to ensure people obey the order,” he added.
He stated further that those who think they can hide under the umbrella of trucks carrying food items or some other essential commodities into the state should prepare to face the wrath of the law if they are caught.
The police commissioner also called on the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), to direct their members to strictly obey the directives of government as the command would not hesitate to impound and prosecute occupants of any inter-state buses found in Ondo State during the period.
Adie maintained that, he has  ordered his area commanders, DPOs and heads of other formations of the command to carry out intensive and aggressive foot and vehicular patrols across the state to prevent any untoward act.