By Harry Awurumibe, Head, Abuja Bureau
With the number of people testing positive for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja rising by the day, it is surprising that many residents have continued to disobey the stay at home order.
Aside from Lagos State, FCT has recorded the second-highest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 50 persons as last Tuesday night according to the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC).
But it is becoming very clear that many Abuja residents are not ready to follow through all the measures put in place by the Federal Government to curb the spread of the virus in the city.
Investigations carried out by Prompt News have revealed that most residents especially low and middle-income earners; unskilled workers, petty traders, and commercial drivers are not interested in observing the stay at home order and the globally recognized Social Distancing.
For example, residents of the suburbs or satellite towns of the FCT are going about their daily businesses just as the village markets are open for daily buying and selling of goods including non-perishable items allowed by the government when the announcement of the lockdown was made by President Muhammadu Buhari a fortnight ago.
From Kubwa to Kuchingoro; Lugbe to Maraba, Dei Dei, Dutse Alhaji, Kuje, Gwagwalada to Kugbo have been witnessing heavy vehicular activities as people still go about their businesses.
At Kabusa in the Lokogoma and Galadimawa axis of the FCT like other towns in the outskirts of the city, the people are not concerned about the stay at home order. People are seen on the streets transacting one business or the other.
Prompt News inquiries revealed that only civil/public servants whose offices have been closed down and high-income earners are religiously observing the stay at home order in the FCT.
Our correspondent observed that residents of highbrow areas of Apo, Maitama, Gudu, Asokoro, Mpape, Gwarimpa and Wuye as well as parts of Lokogoma and Games Village near the Abuja City Gate are in total compliance of the stay at home order.
Also, residents of Wuse zones, Garki areas, and Abuja downtown are obeying the stay at home order.
However, it is left to be seen how the FCT and federal authorities will enforce the law especially in the areas notorious for not observing the stay at home order.
