By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Relief materials, in cash and in food, are not getting through to daily income earners mostly impacted by the lockdown in Abuja, Lagos, and Ogun States, and they are taking their fate in their own hands by defying the order to survive.
Speculation about the extension of both the lockdown and the hardship by another two weeks from April 14 has added to the fear of losing life and limb indoors, not to the disease, but to hunger as food stock dries up without money to replenish.
Traders and other petty business people, including motorcycle and tricycle operators, say hunger drives them to defy the restrictions President Muhammadu Buhari ordered in the two states and Abuja to stem the spread of the disease.
At the last count, Nigeria has recorded over 250 coronavirus cases and six deaths among its 200 million population. Another 44 patients have been discharged.
Buhari imposed stay at home on Abuja, Lagos, and Ogun from March 30 to April 14 saying their huge population concentrations could facilitate the spread of the killer virus beyond manageable proportions.
Federal relief to the residents is expected to include N20,000 cash payment to poor families and food items such as rice and cooking oil.
Sadiya Farouq, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Minister, confirmed these items are being dispensed in the North but rules out large distribution in the South claiming it has fewer poor people
Lagos residents complain of hunger in rich city
Residents of Iyana-Ipaja, Ketu, and Alapare areas of Lagos named hunger as the reason for coming out to ply their trade, Punch reports.
Rukayat, a bag seller in Ketu, narrated that “at first, I observed the order, but it got to a point that there was no money to feed my family, so I had to come out to sell my bags.
“I just started displaying my goods this morning and I have not made any sale. I cannot just stay at home when my family is hungry.”
A resident of Alapere, who did not want to be named, said she has not received the foodstuff distributed by the state government.
Traders and commercial motorcyclists and tricyclists (Keke) in Berger, Iyana-Ipaja. Igando, Iba, Iyana-Iba, and Mile 2 operated undisturbed by security personnel.
Street urchins, cultists defy lockdown in Ogun
Ogun Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele, decried low level compliance in Ado-Odo/Ota Council, after street urchins and cultists joined traders to defy the stay at home in some parts of the state.
At the beginning, the lockdown recorded substantial compliance in many areas, except in places such as Sango-Ota and Ewekoro.
Miscreants in Ota came out to scramble for foodstuff distributed by the state government.
They besieged Ado-Odo/Ota Council headquarters following an announcement that foodstuff would be shared in the place, and went wild when they could not get their share.
On April 5, rival cult gangs in Ifo Council clashed in public, which led to the arrest of four men, according to Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi.
A statement Salako-Oyedele issued through her spokesperson, Seun Boye, reiterated that “the law must be obeyed and nobody would be spared.
“We will also continue to engage our law enforcement agencies to make sure that they support us to be able to achieve our mission.”
Security officers send traders away from Kuje market
There is compliance with the lockdown in the Abuja metropolis but suburbians cite hunger to violate the directive.
Police and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officials combine to chase traders away from Kuje market.
Although Buhari has clarified that food sellers could trade between 10am and 2pm, Kuje market is locked. Traders display their wares at the entrance.
“The security officials, especially policemen, have been coming here very often. Some of them insist that I close my shop, but others allow me after convincing them that mine is an essential service,” said Tunde, who has a barber’s shop.
Motorcycle taxis operate in Kubwa
In Kubwa, a satellite town in Abuja, operators of motorcycle taxi, popularly called Okada, convey passengers around places such as Arab Road, Byazhim, Kubwa village market.
An operator, Umar Gambo, said it “is difficult” for him to stay indoors for long because he has to fend for his family.
Markets open in Bwari
The level of compliance in Bwari now is not as high as when the lockdown started on March 30.
Many shops, markets, fuel stations, and pharmacies fling their doors open, unlike in the first two days when the roads were almost empty as movement of vehicles was heavily restricted.
In Zuba, taxi drivers bribe police to flout order
Taxi drivers in the Dei-Dei and Zuba areas of Abuja are back on the roads. They wear face masks and take three passengers in the back seat and two in front.
The drivers increase fares in Zuba to recoup bribe they said they paid policemen to allow them operate from late afternoon.
One, Sanni Ahmed, said: “We cannot stay at home. We have to eat. We should wear face masks. I think that is enough.
“Some of the policemen are cooperative. They also understand that we cannot survive without working.”