FCTA Threatens to Impose Curfew on Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said it would be forced to impose a curfew on the city if traders declined to vacate markets and allow the authority to carry out fumigation as part of measures to curtail the spread of Coronavirus in the nation’s capital, Abuja.

The FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu, issued the threat yesterday during an awareness campaign at Gwarinpa Market.

She said FCT authorities proposed to fumigate the major markets, parks and religious centres in the city centre and other satellite towns in the territory to mitigate the spread of the dreaded Coronavirus and to uphold the social distancing rule in market places and other social or religious gatherings across the territory.

The minister said she called the Commissioner of Police to ensure that the enforcement team was allowed to do enforcement immediately as some people refused to quit the market, when the team that was to fumigate the market arrived.

“If this situation continues, we will be forced to impose a curfew that is why I came out myself to monitor and appeal to their conscience to vacate the market especially those not selling food stuffs and other essential commodities. I am personally out to see things for myself,” Aliyu said.

The minister, who spoke mainly in pidgin and Hausa languages, appealed to citizens and residents to comply with the preventive measures outlined by government and vacate the market to make job easier for government.

She appealed to the traders to stay at home for the period of fumigation as inhaling the substances used in fumigating the market could be hazardous to their health.

“Government is aware of the economic situation and it is not in our best interest to destroy your goods. Please stay at home and as a mother, I feel for you, “Aliyu said.