Violate Lockdown Order, Spend Six Months In Prison, Oyetola Reads Out Riot Act To Offenders

In a bid to enforce the lockdown order with a view to preventing the spread of Coronavirus in the state, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, on Thursday, 2 April, 2020 signed the Diseases (EmergencyPrevention) Regulations 2020.

Oyetola noted that he made the order in exercise of the powers conferred on him by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and other relevant provisions of the State of Osun Public Health Law.

The law is aimed at preventing and containing the spread of Covid- 19 anywhere within the territories of Osun.

Following the signing of the law, anybody who violates the Sit-at-home order will be sentenced to six-month imprisonment or an option of fine upon conviction.

Under the Law, transmission or dissemination of false information regarding Covid-19 is also an offence and it attracts the same punishment.

Similarly, the promotion of unverified, untested, or unapproved cures, vaccines or other similar items that purport to cure, alleviate or reduce instances of persons infected with Covid-19, also constitutes an offence and offenders upon conviction will be liable to six-month imprisonment or an option of fine.

“The governor may direct the removal of a Potentially Infectious Person, where such a person fails or refuses to go to a place specified for screening and assessment. The governor may direct a Potentially Infectious Person within a Local Area, to go into isolation for an initial period of 14 days,” parts of the regulations read.

Signing the regulations, the governor said,  “It has become imperative to go beyond making suggestions and giving directives in order to stem the tide of the spread of Covid-19, save lives, reduce ill health and ensure that the economy in which the people of the State of  Osun operate does not become weakened and stretched. I make the following Regulations for the good order , safety, security and public health in the State of Osun.”