Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Two foreigners have been arrested in Oyo State for travelling from the Republic of Togo and Benin Republic to Nigeria as the COVID-19 pandemic ravages the country.
The duo, said to be farm labourers, were apprehended Odo-Omu area of Iseyin Local Government after they escaped border patrols from the Republic of Benin through Saki and arrived Iseyin on Tuesday.
Names of the foreigners were given as Eberivie Isiaq, an adult male and Kemi Terivie, a female mother of one. The duo were said to have beat border security at Saki and came to a suburb of Iseyin for the new farming season before their arrest.
The Federal Government had announced a total closing of Nigerian borders at the break of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside other countries around the world to stem the spread of the virus.
The Chairman, Iseyin Local Government, Mufutau Abilawon, alongside the representative of Aseyin of Iseyin, Chief Ismahil Odubiyi, and medical members of COVID-19 local committee were at the residence of the foreigners to ascertain their travel history and medical condition on Wednesday.
According to him, “we rushed here when we heard of the information to ascertain its veracity and quickly nip the spread nin the bud. As directed by Oyo State governor,  Engineer Seyi Makinde, we are not to cover any case of illegal incursion of foreigners or COVID-19 case as the government is working day and night to stop the spread of this deadly disease.
“Members of the COVID-19 committee are here with us and they have questioned the individuals to know their health status and travel history. But we are not stopping at this, we need to have an emergency meeting with all community chiefs (Baales) tomorrow morning (Thursday) to warn them about harbouring foreigners that just came in till this crisis is over.
“These  persons arrived the agrarian communities to assist farmers during planting season, which we are acknowledging, but we have to face the reality; our lives are more valuable than any other thing, we must curtail their influx.”
However, shortly after the COVID-19 committee for the local government, led by the Interim local government chairman, Mufutau Abilawon and traditional chiefs left the scene, personnel of Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), arrested two of the individuals. The third foreigner was affirmed to have been around before them.
The leader of the team, who spoke under anonimity, said the two individuals Eberivie Isiaq and Kemi Terivie who were arrested would be taken to the state headquarters of the Immigration Service on Thursday.