By Emmanuel Amatutu
DESPITE the lockdown order by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, hundreds of Muslim worshippers at Ughelli, Friday defiled the order as they gathered at the Okorodafe Mosque for the Jumat service.
The main Mosque along Isoko Road, also held Jumat service contrary to the social distancing order but the crowd was minimal compared to the Okorodafe Mosque.
This is just as Managing Director of the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Chief Askia Ogieh described Thursday’s killing of one person in Warri by security operatives as regrettable.
Askia in a statement, Friday, described the incident as regrettable and appealed to all Deltans to cooperate with the security agencies so as not to endanger their lives.
He said: “The reported skirmish that led to an avoidable death in Warri is regrettable. Every life is dear to us and we therefore urge the heads of all the security agencies to call their operatives to order and advise them to be civil when they engage any of us who may breach the lockdown order.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had ordered a 14-day lockdown order from Wednesday as measures to prevent the spread of of the Corona Virus in the state.
Observing the flaunting of the lockdown order at Ughelli, a team of policemen which stationed their hilux van at the Okorodafe roundabout to ensure that the lockdown is implemented, watched helplessly as the crowd from the mosque dispersed at the end of the service.
Giving reasons why they failed to accost the worshippers for flaunting the social distancing order amidst the lockdown, one of the policemen said they decided to allow them (worshippers) be since the service was very short as against the normal timing.
The policeman who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Apart from the fact that the service was shorter than usual, we didn’t want to cause any tension, hence we allowed them be and ensured that they dispersed immediately.”
