By Saheed Ibrahim
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Ondo state government’s desire to curtail the influx of people into state may not be realisable if the corrupt activities of security agents at the border posts are not curtailed, The Hope can authoritatively reveal.

Also circumventing government’s desire are commercial and trailer drivers, together with commercial motorcycle riders known as ‘Okada’.

The borders were closed in order to curtail the spread of COVID-19, a virus that has claimed more than 128 lives in the country out of over 4000 confirmed cases. Presently, 15 persons have been infected in Ondo State.

Our reporter who did a special investigation at the Owena border post on Akure/Ilesa expressway, revealed that trailers, vehicles conveying non-food items and immigrants from other states are still being allowed to enter the state, aided by security agents.

While at the Owena border post, our reporter observed that the border was very busy as vehicles were moving in and out of the state, against the expectation that a closed border should witness less traffic.

The Hope investigation which lasted for about 12 hours revealed that there are four major ways through which immigrants gain access into the state on daily basis.

The usual method of bribing one’s way still persist as many vehicles, which are not supposed to come into the state are allowed in after “brief discussion” in camera with the security agents.

An 18-passenger bus with Adamawa Express inscribed on it came in at exactly 3pm while a fleet of brand new salon cars, numbering about 15, also came into the state through the same border at around 4:30 pm.

The Hope investigation also revealed that many immigrants came into the state through trailers conveying cement and other big vehicles.

It was observed that Dangote cement trailers and others were coming into the state unhindered and the drivers used the opportunity to convey travellers, especially from Oyo and Osun states into the Sunshine state.

A cement trailer, with Kam Haulage, KH 008 and the label of “Nigerian Legion Mass Transport scheme 2020” made its way through the border with some immigrants from Osun state.

The trailer was later intercepted before it got to Army check point at Igbara-Oke junction by officers of the highway patrol manning the border.

Unfortunately, the trailer was released with the passengers after the driver had a “tete a tete” with the officers.

Another trailer, with the plate number “BCT-4D-041”, was trailed to Road Block in Akure by The Hope correspondent. Five people, covered with cement, alighted from the truck of the trailer with their luggage.

According to them, they paid the driver N1,500 each to convey them from Ibadan to Akure. Their deal became public knowledge as a woman, who was travelling to Ikare joined the trailer with the hope that it would convey her to Ikare-Akoko lament and begged people to give her money to transport herself to her destination.

In addition, The Hope investigation revealed that people gained entrance into the state through commercial motorcyclists operating between Owena Ijesa and Owena Igbara Oke, the two border towns of Osun and Ondo states.

Immigrants from Lagos, Osun and Oyo states usually drop at Owena Ijesa and motorcyclists therein will convey them across the border to Owena Igbara Oke where commercial cab drivers are waiting to convey them to Akure.

Similarly, The Hope found out that immigrants cross the border bridge on foot. Our correspondent observed that security agents at the border do not intercept pedestrians; only officials of COVID-19 Border Monitoring Vanguards are saddled with this responsibility.

However, despite the efforts of these officials dressed in lemon vest, people still made their ways into the state on foot. Although many people were intercepted, they later found their way in through plea and other means.

An officer of the Border Monitoring Vanguards, who preferred anonymity disclosed that , “We are doing our best but the problem we have is that some of the commercial vehicles will drop their passengers at the other end (Owena Ijesa) and come into the state unabated. So the passenger will walk in on foot. Some of them will be conveyed by okada riders, but we have been sending them back.

“We also heard that some people are coming in by crossing Owena river at a particular point but we do not know the point.”

One of the police officers manning the border was captured saying, “Nigeria, majority of the people are used to this kind of life. Most people are daily earners. So, for us to now ask them to stay at home is not easy.

When asked why they (the police) are allowing people to cross into Ondo State despite the order given by government, the slim, dark officer replied, “We are using our discretion.”

This was confirmed by a commercial driver, who plies Akure-Owena. According to him, “The trailers do come in, especially those conveying food items and trailers belonging to Dangote group of companies. People usually come in through the trailers.”

Another driver who plies the same road also told The Hope that his own business was to convey travellers from the other end to Akure. He disclosed that he shuttles Akure and Owena all the time as people who are coming into the state need vehicles to move.