Federal Government through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, has threatened to arrest, prosecute printers and users of fake vehicle exemption pass during the Coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, the Minister, Sadiya Umar Farouq, reminded Nigerians that the pass was to facilitate movement of emergency personnel and providers of essential services.
According to her, “some nefarious elements also sell the tags to vehicles owners and individuals who do not provide any service during the lockdown, especially in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.”
Farouq, said that;
“the situation has made it difficult for security personnel to effectively do their job.
“The lockdown is aimed at stopping the spread of the virus through community infection in Nigeria which had grave consequences in other countries.”
She, therefore, called on members of the public to adhere to “government directives, respect the law and protect themselves against Coronavirus infection by shunning those forging documents to facilitate unnecessary movements.”
The Minister recalled that the FCT Police Command had disclosed that it had arrested nine suspects with fake Coronavirus exemption tags and another seven suspects who used the tags to flout the presidential lockdown order since it started.
She disclosed that, “the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma, has warned that all persons arrested in possession of fake exemption vehicles pass or personnel tags risk prosecution.”
