Covid-19: Ondo Positive Case is not State Govt business_ Tolu Babaleye

An Abuja based Lawyer and human rights activist, who is a Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress in Ondo State has warned the State Government led by Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu not to waste the state resources on the first positive case of Covid-19 in the state.

He said “I saw the Twitter update of the Governor of Ondo State this evening announcing that someone tested positive for Covid 19 in Ondo State.

“On a further probe, I also got to know that the man is a Military Officer who came from India and had earlier isolated himself before his samples were sent for test which turned out to be a confirmed case.

“Based on the above scenario, I am of the opinion that this new case is not the business of Ondo State Government. This is because a Military Officer(s) cannot be treated in a civilian hospital. Military have their own hospital and ditto their own isolation centre. The Military Barracks in the Territory of a State by Law is a Federal Territory and does not belong to the State.”

He however urged the Governor of Ondo State to reject this and let the Federal Authority or Nigeria Military remove the man and take him to Military Isolation Centre for treatment while preserving the money and resources of Ondo State till when a civilian who resides, visits or hailed from Ondo State test positive.

Tolu Babaleye noted that his opinion is not out of callousness but the position of the law and how duties are shared in Nigeria.

According to him, “Let’s not shortchange ourselves in Ondo State as the confirmed case is not fully our business.

“Military has its own Law, modus operandi, mess, market, hospital and its own isolation centres. May God continue to be with us in Ondo State,” he prayed.

He wrote

I saw the Twitter update of the Governor of Ondo State this evening announcing that someone tested +ve to Covid 19 in Ondo State.

On a further probe,
I also got to know that the man is a Military Officer who came from India and had earlier isolated himself before his samples were sent for test which turned out to be a confirmed case.

Based on the above scenario, I am of the opinion that this new case is not the business of Ondo State Government. This is because a Military Officer(s) cannot be treated in a civilian hospital. Military have their own hospital and ditto their own isolation centre. The Military Barracks in the Territory of a State by Law is a Federal Territory and does not belong to the State.

I urge the Governor of Ondo State to reject this and let the Federal Authority or Nigeria Military remove the man and take him to Military Isolation Centre for treatment while preserving the money and resources of Ondo State till when a civilian who resides, visits or hailed from Ondo State test positive.

I am saying this not out of callousness but because that is the position of the law and how duties are shared in Nigeria. Let’s not shortchange ourselves in Ondo State as the confirmed case is not fully our business.

Military has its own Law, modus operandi, mess, market, hospital and its own isolation centres. May God continue to be with us in Ondo State.

TOLU BABALEYE ESQ writes from the Office of the Citizens.