COVID-19: Governor Asks LG Officials To Flog Nigerians Not Wearing Face Masks

The Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. Dave Umahi, has asked local government officials to flog residents of the state who appear in public without putting on face mask.

Ebonyi is yet to record any case of COVID-19.

Speaking at a stakeholders' meeting on Wednesday, in Abakaliki, the state capital, Umahi said it is important for residents to use face masks to halt the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

His words, “Let me warn again that no face mask in Ebonyi State, no public movement.

“If you don’t have a face mask and you are out, I am directing the local government chairmen to use their men to inflict the minimum compliance which is the cane – the cane.

“No face mask, you will attract cane, it doesn’t matter who you are. If you are a big man and you are coming outside and you do not have a face mask, you will face trouble and the law is very clear about that.

“We have also emphasised, in fact, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) has also warned that the order of blocking must be maintained.

“The police must block the first point of the border, the army must give a safe distance and then block, then the other security agencies will now block and then after that, it is now the neighbourhood watch.”

On Wednesday, Umahi had barred two journalists from covering state functions for “writing bad reports about the state”, stressing that his government cannot guarantee the safety of other journalists “who will continue to write negative reports against his government and the state”.