By Salisu Sani-Idris

The FCT Administration (FCTA) Ministerial Taskforce on Enforcement of COVID-19 Protocols has warned residents and business premises against violation of COVID-19 Protocols, following  arrival of COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria.

Mr Ihkaro Attah, Head Media and Enlightenment of the enforcement taskforce, issued the warning at a news conference on Sunday in Abuja.

Attah said the taskforce observed that there had  been some kind of relaxation in the minds of many residents on compliance with COVID-19 protocols since the arrival of vaccines into the country.

He reminded the FCT residents that the COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations Act, 2021, signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, was still being enforced in the territory, adding that anybody or business premises found violating the regulation would be arrested and prosecuted.

” The vaccination currently ongoing is a welcome development and a good one but that doesn’t mean that we should all go and relax, throw away our facemasks, stop our regular washing of hands and stop observing physical distancing.

” We must ensure that we comply with COVID-19 protocols. The  taskforce  set up by the FCT  Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello and headed by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma, will continue to intensify enforcement in the coming days.

” We intensified efforts throughout last week, talking to people, going round the city to educate residents to understand that we prefer  advocacy and enlightenment than enforcement,” he said.

According to him, it appears that some persons are so relaxed, they believe that the vaccine have come so people can jump out of the water and roll out the drums, no, we have  not reached that stage yet.

” We just got about four million vaccines and as President Muhammadu Buhari stated very clearly, there is  need for us to  comply  with the COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations Act because other dosage will be coming later on to ensure that Nigerians are heavily vaccinated.

” But before we get the other dosage people must comply with COVID-19 protocols, ” Attah said.

He revealed that from Monday, March 8, residents would see intensive enforcement with a view to waking  people up from slumber, “who feel that the vaccines are out so they can do whatever they liked.”

Attah also disclosed that Mobile Courts would be sitting in some locations that were already known, warning that any body that failed  to put on his facemasks would be arrested and prosecuted.

Similarly, he cautioned that  any business premises that failed  to have hand washing points and temperature check devices would be prosecuted and shut via seal off order from court.

” The FCT minister has directed the taskforce to really intensify enforcement to ensure that people comply with the Presidential Executive Order on COVID-19. (NAN)