PHOTO: I spend nights at our borders to guard Cross River against COVID-19 -Ben Ayade

Ben Ayade, governor of Cross River, says he spends nights at the state’s borders to prevent an index case of COVID-19.

Speaking during a Channels TV programme on Thursday, Ayade said his government procured over 100 new vehicles which it deployed to the entry points to “lock our state out” against the disease.

Cross River is one of the two states yet to have any case of COVID-19.

Data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), however, showed that the state has tested only seven persons.

Ayade said when the pandemic was at its early stage in Nigeria, the state quickly responded “by locking out our state against the virus” and has since then, maintained a firm structure in its response.

“So, we actually didn’t lock down, we locked out the state. We blocked our borders immediately and commenced no mask, no movement,” he said.

“By virtue of our location, we are just sharing boundary with Cameroon and it is such that it is almost impossible that we are still having COVID-19 negatives.

“What we did was we ordered over 100 branded new vehicles, policed all our borders between Nigeria and Cameroon, ensure that we block all access to other states, closed our airways,

“We have been very very deliberate. Our structure is so firm, I lead from the front. I spend the night myself personally at vigil in the various entry and exit points to demonstrate to my commissioners and special advisers; if the governor himself can stay nights at our border points, you should do so.”

He added that with him leading the state’s response, its borders are being manned by “only very senior government officials to ensure there is no compromise.”

Photo credit: AIT