Magnus Eze, Enugu
Association of South East Town Unions (ASATU) has called on the communities in the region to volunteer people that would immediately form Civilian Joint Task Force in their areas.
It also called on the governors to exempt the people from the lockdown as they will be essential service providers.
The civilian joint task force, according to ASATU President, Emeka Diwe, will collaborate with the conventional security forces in ensuring compliance with the presidential ban on inter-state travel.
He expressed concerns over the smuggling of able bodied young men in trucks into the South and the South East from the North under the guise of bringing foodstuffs, in spite of the lockdown and ban on inter-state travel.
In a communiqué, yesterday, ASATU described the trend as troubling, especially with the rising cases of coronavirus infection in the North.
“For the security forces to allow such large movement of people from the North to the South is, indeed, a worrisome development and indicates that they are overwhelmed and lack the capacity to protect the South and South East from this health and security crisis. Self-preservation is the first law of nature. We cannot fold our arms and watch a crisis grow.
“We call on communities in Igbo land to volunteer people to work with the police as civilian joint task force to prevent violation of the lockdown.
“We call on all communities in Igbo land to be vigilant and resist any violation of the lockdown by stopping such violations and alerting the police to them. Self-preservation is the first law of nature. The coronavirus is real and we must do all we can to protect ourselves from it.”