Kaduna sets up mobile courts to prosecute lockdown violators

Godwin Isenyo, Kaduna

Kaduna State Government has set up mobile courts to prosecute violators of the lockdown order occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic in the state.

The Solicitor General in the state, Chris Umar, disclosed this in a letter to the Chief Registrar of Kaduna State High Court.

Umar said the decision was taken by the State Executive Council to enforce the executive order restricting movement in the state as part of measures to curb the spread of the novel disease.

The PUNCH had reported that the Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, had invoked sections 2 and 8 of the Quarantine Act of 1926 and Kaduna State Public Health Law of 1917 to imposed a lockdown on the state on March 26.

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But the frequent violations of the order to enforce social distancing had been recorded in the state.

The Solicitor-General said the mobile courts would “deal with violators summarily without the need for the present cumbersome procedure of taking offenders to court over such violations”.

He said the magistrates that would preside over the mobile courts have already been assigned by the State Ministry of Justice, adding that they would sit at various locations across the state starting with Kakuri, Kawo, Magajin Gari, Rigasa, Sabon-tasha, Maraban Rido and Rigachikun.

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control as of Thursday night, nine of the 981 confirmed coronavirus cases in the country were recorded in Kaduna State.

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