From Jude Owuamanam, Jos

The Plateau State government has distributed items seized from traders who ran foul of the Executive Order 003. The items were distributed to prisons and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Jos and Bukuru and Bokkos.

The executive order, among other things, prohibits street trading along the roads as well as also regulating indiscriminate erections of buildings and control traffic within the Greater Jos Master Plan.

It was the view of the government that illegal trading and uncontrolled buildings hamper free vehicular movement as well as posing a security threat to the citizenry.

The distribution of the items was supervised by the General Manager of the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB), Engr Hart Bankat and the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Musa Ashoms.

Among the items seized from violators of Executive Order 003 in Jos and Bukuru were clothings, shoes, toiletries and household goods

Speaking to newsmen while flagging off the exercise, Ashoms said that the distribution of the items to prisons was fulfillment of executive order that mandated the distribution of seized items to the less privileged in thr society.

He said, “You will recall that Executive Order 003 enacted by Governor Caleb Mutfwang took effect from the 10 June and today is the 24th or 24 June.

“And those that didn’t follow the law and order, we went to the Joss/ main market and other spots to seize their goods. And the order clearly stipulated that if you do not follow the order your goods will be seized and they will be handed over to the Nigerian Correctional center or internally displaced persons camps.

“So basically it is in fulfillment of that that we are here. So we are taking these goods that you are seeing to the Nigerian prisons, especially those for adults are going to end up at the Nigerian Correctional Centres. And those that you have, those for kids and young people, we are taking them to the IDP camps today.

“Specifically we are taking them to the Barkin Ladi IDP and from there we proceed to Bokos where you have other IDP camps too.

“And we want to use this moment to sound a caveat to those who think they can just think that they are above the law that if they are willing to donate their goods, we are willing to take it to the IDP camps and to the correctional centres.

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On the allegations that they were not informed before the raid, the commissioner said that the government had series of meetings with market leaders or their representative where they were clearly told about government intentions.

He described their protests as “grandstanding”

Ashoms also disclosed that government is also engaging with religious leaders to stop the closure of roads during worship days.

According to him, the closure was warranted by the constant bombing of worship places, adding that such actions no longer exist.

“Those that are protesting are only grandstanding. That is not fair. You recall that this executive order was signed on the 1 march from the day it was signed we’ve had sustained publicity. You recall that we’ve sat down with them over 30 times different clusters and we’ve engaged them.

“So as a government, we don’t intend to be wicked. We are a government that has human face. So please do not test the will of government. We are here to serve you. Just obey the law.”

“On closure of road during worship days, we’ve even engaged religious bodies. We’ve sat down with Jama’atur Nasiri Islam, the Christian Association of Nigeria and they have asked for two weeks inorder to experiment the measures they have put on ground.