Medical doctors in Lagos State, under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Wednesday night, started a sit-at-home protest over what they termed harassment by security agencies in the guise of enforcing the curfew imposed by President Muhammadu Buhari. The doctors said, despite their exemption from restriction of movement, being on essential duty, security agencies have been harassing and arresting them in the night, thereby preventing them from rendering medical services to those who need them.
The doctors, in a statement by the NMA chairman, Dr. Saliu Oseni, and secretary, Dr. Ramon Moronkola, said they would remain at home until the Lagos State government decides how to treat those on essential duties. Excerpts from the statement said: “The Lagos State branch of the NMA has resolved that it is presently unsafe for its members to continue to provide healthcare services under the present confused arrangement.
“We resolve that all doctors under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association in Lagos (are) to proceed on a sit-at-home, starting from 6pm today, May 20, indefinitely, until such time when the state government and the Commissioner of Police, are clear on how they wish to operationalise the lockdown/restriction of movement directive as it relates to essential service and service providers, including healthcare services and doctors.”
It is not only doctors, among those on essential duty, who have been at the receiving end in the enforcement of the curfew. Journalists in Lagos, Abuja and other cities have also been subjected to harassment as they move in the night. Journalists, where they were lucky, have been denied free movement and, where they were unlucky, they faced arrest. Indeed, this development has brought to the fore the discordant tunes in the implementation of rules and guidelines in the fight against the dreaded disease, coronavirus (COVID-19).
President Buhari, had, in a national broadcast, while unveiling the programme for a phased easing of lockdown, announced the imposition of curfew, from 8pm to 6am, with effect from May 4, 2020. As was the case during total lockdown, he exempted people on essential duty, including medical personnel, journalists, security agents, etc. He also said transportation of food items/agricultural products would be allowed, in the restriction regime, despite a national ban on inter-state travels. As it related to journalists, Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said they were not under any inhibition whatsoever as long as they carried their identification cards.
With President Buhari’s express directive, it was, therefore, surprising that the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, in instructing policemen on the implementation of the curfew, said this week that nobody was exempted. Arising from this, people on essential duty got caught in the web of policy contradiction, raising questions as to the coordination of government’s programme. If the head of the police could take actions contrary to the directives of the President, it does not show that the government is organised. It means that different functionaries in government simply do what they want, to suit them.
It is not only in the implementation of curfew, as it affects those on essential duty, that disorganisation has shown. There is no harmony whatsoever in the COVID-19 fight. Between the Federal Government and states, things are just happening haphazardly. Where the Federal Government said transportation of food between states is allowed, some states are restricting and impounding vehicles conveying foodstuff. A certain state seized cattle transported into it during its version of total lockdown. But pray, is cattle not an agricultural produce or product?
At present, the government is stressing the importance of social distancing. As part of the measures to ensure social distancing and also to contain the spread of coronavirus, worship centres and schools are supposed to be shut. However, some states have lifted the ban on religious gatherings. With this, churches and mosques, in the states concerned, have started holding services/worship. One of the states justified the lifting of congregational worship ban by declaring that “spiritual economy” was important. In lifting the ban on religious gatherings, state governments are no longer emphasising social distancing. One state, in order to be seen as saying something, advised that churches and mosque should not admit people beyond the capacity of their buildings. Not having people beyond the capacity of a building, no natter how it is looked at, is not the same thing as social distancing.
The fight against COVID-19 has even gone to a ridiculous level with some states making it look like a circus. States impose total lockdown only to suddenly say that, on certain days, everything would go on normally, so that people would restock their food bank. Anything worth doing is worth doing well. The fight against the spread of coronavirus should be taken seriously and decisively fought. There should be harmony in the programme across the country. This is important because no state is an island. Any state that believes that it would function in isolation, in the COVID-19 fight, will soon discover that what affects the eyes also affects the nose.
The Federal Government should show leadership in the fight against COVID-19. Leadership in the fight has been lacking. It should organise the coronavirus fight in such a way that all states of the federation will be on the same page. If worship centres are to be opened, it should happen nationwide, at the same time. If schools are to be opened, it should be nationwide, at the same time. When inter-state travel ban is lifted, it should be in the 36 states of the federation and Abuja. Most importantly, the Federal Government should, together with the states, have a coordinated programme whereby all guidelines must be enforced nationwide.
I am surprised that security agencies are making so much fuss about curfew, without anything being done about the flagrant violation of the guidelines that would keep the citizenry safe. Unless there is something else about the curfew the government is not telling us, restriction of movement in the night is not as important as ensuring that people wear face masks in public, maintain social distancing, wash their hands regularly with soap and running water and maintain respiratory hygiene. Ordinarily, Nigeria is shut down completely any time from midnight, as the country does not have 24-hour economy and socialisation. Since this is the case, why is it that security agents are talking about curfew, as if the country and the economy function optimally in the night?
The government should reorganise itself and get coordinated. Effort should be devoted to the implementation of the cardinal guidelines – wearing face masks, maintaining social distancing, and maintaining hygiene during the day when people are active, among others. There should be a national effort. Discordant tunes must stop. Showmanship must stop. Selfishness must stop.
Correction
In last week’s article, “From Kyari to Gambari: Tales of the unexpected,” the printer’s devil reared its ugly head and caused a misrepresentation of facts. The biblical story of beating people with whip and scourging them with scorpions is associated with Rehoboam, son of Solomon, and not Jeroboam, as stated in the article. The error is regretted.