WE WILL PROSECUTE BRIBE TAKERS AND RECALCITRANT BORDER INFILTRATORS-WERR

NEWSGATE MAGAZINE INTERVIEW WITH HON. IRIMIYA JERRY WERR, COMMISSIONER OF SPECIAL DUTIES.  PLATEAU STATE AND CHAIRMAN BORDER CONTROL  AND TRAFFIC, COVID-19 COMMITTEE, PLATEAU STATE. 

THE INTERVIEW WAS HOT,INFORMATIVE AND ADVISORY TO HAVE A COVID-19 FREE STATE. 

ENJOY THE EXCERPTS:

Newsgate Magazine: For the benefit of our readers, kindly introduce yourself.

Hon. Irimiya Jerry Werr: My name is Irimiya Werr, Hon. Commissioner for Special Duties and Chairman of Border Control and Traffic for COVID-19 Committee.

NewsGate Magazine: Your Committee has been working since it's inauguration, what has been your experience?

Hon. Irimiya Jerry Werr: I am the  Chairman sub-committee on Border Management that is taking care of all the borders that encompasses Plateau and neighboring states. When we started it, it was quite hectic because at it's inception people did not understand why the closure. In Riyom for example, people were lamenting why the border was being closed especially those who are bringing in essential goods like foods stuffs, Petroleum products etc. So we had to undertake a lot of sensitization as to why the measure was taken.
So there are quite alot of challenges and we also have man power challenge because we needed to have medical staff, Security agencies like the Immigration, Road safety, Civil defense. When we started they were there but because of logical problems some of them were debunked. The responsibility now falls on the STF and the police in some instances and my Committee has no jurisdiction over those people. I am only responsible for civil defense, road safety, Immigration and the NDLEA and sometime the Road Safety Unions. Basically those are the challenge we normally have. We've been trying to see how to put some of these things in place. If you have been following the happenings around, you will know that His Excellency, the Executive Governor gave a directive that vehicular movements into the state should stop by 6PM and resume by 7AM. This is so that those people who work from the morning through the afternoon will be able to curtail the entry of these vehicles into the state, but since they wouldn't be here through the night, the best option is to shut it down. No vehicle should come in between 6PM and 7AM.
When it happens it was a partial success, although some people called and told us that vehicles are passing in the night from hours of 1AM to 3 or 4AM and it became a concern. Why are the other Security agencies still allowing vehicular movements. There were allegations of bribery too, those are allegations; because as a Government, have not catch anyone hence we cannot prosecute. But as a saying goes there is no smoke without fire. I want to assure that anyone among the Security personnel caught taking bribe will be handed over to other Security agencies for further prosecution.

NewsGate Magazine: Complaints abound that borders are being crossed despite Government directives. What is your experience? And how do you intend to mitigate it?

Hon. Irimiya Jerry Werr: One thing I observed is, when Government officials are present there some sort of compliance, the motorists become apprehensive. The tendencies to come in will not be there, some will even go back but immediately they leave its back to square one.
We met yesterday as a Committee and what we want to put in place is that agencies put at the borders will spend a complete 24hrs. We also have some city defense who are armed, Immigration who are also armed, the NDLEA are also armed. Only the Road safety Corp that isn't armed. What we decided in each border is that 15 personel, 12 will be armed and 4 will not be armed. With specific instructions not to allow any vehicle into the State except those doing essential services.
Even those on essential services especially food trucks we asked them to use full discretion because some of the food trucks have food above and something else under. We told them to be weary and to scrutinize them properly before allowing such properties access. For Petroleum products regarding energy we know how important they are to us so we would not want to temper with those ones. And even the National Union of Road Transport Workers, we intend to have some of the workers on the borders atleast two of them, we even consider having the Vehicle Inspection Officer's to be part of them so they could control the vehicles the drivers and the motorists know them because they are members. If they disobey at that point, they also have ways of punishing their members.
So I'm sure they could control them on a maximum level. So far these are the measures that we have taken to ensure the borders are closed permanently.

NewsGate Magazine: We know the PLSG has declared a 7-day lockdown, don't you think it will jeopardize your work?

Hon. Irimiya Jerry Werr: Well it is a lockdown and nobody is supposed to come in not even the Petroleum companies. It's just for 7 days, if you're passing through Plateau you'll look for an alternative route, if you'll come into Plateau it will be during the 3 day notice where you can bring as much supplies as possible. So that it can last us for 7 days and more so since the whole state will be closed without any moves these products will be of no use. I don't think shutting down even the essence services will affect us much because people have been given so much windows to stock their homes with food that could last a week so they wouldn't enter any form of stress as a result of the declaration.

NewsGate Magazine: How do you synergize with other sub-committee's for the General aim and purpose of reduction of the Covid 19 pandemic in Plateau State?

Hon. Irimiya Jerry Werr: We have other committees like the Health Technical Committee who are resresponsible for the Management of the Covid 19 virus itself which are identifying suspects who may likely have it and carrying out necessary tests to ensure they are positive or negative. We liaise with them for protective materials like face masks, sanitizers, hand gloves. As you can see we are synergising with them. Another Committee we are synergizing with is the Information and enlightenment Committee, anything we see at the border will be reported to them if we want the public to be sensitized on a particular aspect working against our success at the border, we talk to the Committee who will share the information to the public.

NewsGate Magazine: Lastly Sir, comment on any issues that requires urgent attention,  be it local, National or international.

Hon. Irimiya Jerry Werr: People should be obedient. Our disobedience brings problems to ourselves in planning and organizing. Look at what is happening in developed nations, some are regretting not taking this Information much earlier or like the decisions to block borders, stay at home and so on. They are now paying for it, we sould be thankful that it isn't dire here so we should be thankful and try to obey directives given. These directives are for the benefits of us all. This is for the interests of the entire citizens of Nigeria. So obedience is key.