Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Kano State police command has confirmed the arrest and conviction of 15 Muslim clerics (Imams) in the state for violating lock- down order issued by the state government.
Kano State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Habu Sani who made the disclosure on Wednesday evening while briefing the state governor, Dr Abdulahi Umar Ganduje said that they were convicted for deciding to carry on with the Friday prayers.
Speaking on the security arrangements, put in place to enforce the lockdown in the state, he  disclosed that over 30 suspects were equally convicted for violating the order while adding that some of the vehicles used for the defilement had been impounded by his men..
He said that the police alongside all other security agencies involved in the operation were determined to ensure total compliance with the directives of President Muhammadu Buhari, locking down the state for additional two weeks.
Meanwhile,  the Coordinator, Kano State Task Force on COVID-19, Dr Tijjani Hassan has said wete three deaths and 77 confirmed cases of COVID 19 patients as of date.
While giving an update of the state of affairs of the disease in the state, he explained that 283 samples of suspected cases of the disease had been taken to Abuja for laboratory analysis, adding that the results were being awaited at the moment in the state.
“As of yesterday alone, we sent 62 samples to Abuja while we submitted to 21 samples to the reactivated Kano center laboratory.”
He explained that the large numbers of impending tests from the state were occasioned by the stoppage of NCDC test laboratory in the state.
He expressed delight that the testing center in te state had become operational as of Monday adding that, “we are going to have an additional center within the center for infectious disease at Bayero University, located within Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
Dr Tijjani disclosed that  investigation into the causes of recorded deaths in the state was in top gear, adding that the team deployed to the burial grounds were about to conclude their investigations.
“I wish to reiterate that this kind of investigation takes time, but we are making progress and we will update the state as soon as that is available.
“I wish to draw the attention, especially that of the media that the observed increase in cases of so called reported deaths in the social media… it should be understood that we do not have a baseline.
“We do not have a basis for that comparison. It is only when we have a basis that we can begin to report that there is an increase. But as of now, we have not observed that until we are able to establish that.