The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has activated mobile courts to prosecute all violators of the Presidential directive on the cessation of movement across the territory.

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Anthony Ogunleye, on Wednesday in Abuja, said the measure was part of the resolution reached at the end of FCT COVID-19 Security Committee meeting.

Bello said the security committee observed that over the past few days, adherence to the lockdown directive at the city centre had deteriorated.

He said that residents were using the excuse of going to the markets to flout the lockdown directives and traders selling non-essential food commodities were using the window period to open their shops in clear violation of the lockdown directive.

“Despite the directive that residents should patronise neighbourhood shops and markets within their districts,  not moving from one district to the other to buy their essential items in order to minimise movement of people and vehicles across the city, this has largely been flouted as well.

“While the level of compliance has been satisfactory at the Federal Capital City (FCC) over the first few days of the lockdown, the same cannot be said about the satellite towns located at the various area councils where residents  have largely ignored the lockdown directive.

“However, over the past few days, adherence to the lockdown directive at the City Centre had also deteriorated.

“Market operational days are henceforth reduced to two days in a week namely; Wednesdays and Saturdays only.

“Residents should patronise only neighborhood markets as movement from one district to the other now constitutes a violation of the lockdown.

“Mobile courts will now be activated to try all violators of the directive on the cessation of movement across the FCT

“Motorcycles (Okada) are henceforth barred from operating anywhere in Kubwa and Dutse Alhaji during the lockdown, he said.

Bello assured that FCTA would step up sensitisation efforts, especially in the rural communities and enjoined area councils chairmen, traditional rulers and community leaders to actively engage in sensitising the populace on the dangers of COVID-19.

The minister said that the FCT administration is committed to ensuring that the COVID-19 pandemic is controlled in the territory.

He solicited the cooperation of all residents in curtailing the spread of the virus into rural and suburban communities.