Ekiti Receives COVID-19 Vaccine As Lagos Beefs Up Security Around Cold Store

Ekiti State has received its share of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines recently imported into the country.

Governor Kayode Fayemi confirmed this via his Twitter handle on Wednesday.

The tweet said: “Ekiti State receives doses of #COVID19 vaccines. Governor Fayemi @kfayemi and his deputy would be leading the rest of the state as they receive their vaccination publicly on Wednesday, March 10th.

“Risk Communications officials are also being trained to tackle misinformation across the 16 LGAs of the state ahead of the rollout of the vaccines in Ekiti.

“Ekiti continues to lead as a model sub-national government with integrated and holistic responses to tackle COVID-19 and cushion its economic impact on the people”.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Police Command has beefed up security around the state’s cold store after inspecting the facility housing its share of the vaccines on Tuesday.

The state had received its doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on Tuesday and according to the State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odunosu, it was important to keep the place safe against intruders.

In a statement by the state’s police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, the commissioner told staff at the cold store to be sensitive and ensure that “unauthorised staff or individuals are not allowed into the premises of the cold store”.

Adejobi said, “The state Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, inspected the Lagos State cold store, located in Ikeja, where the COVID-19 vaccines are being kept for adequate deployment of men and security of the vaccines.

“The CP, who was received by the Lagos State Immunisation Officer, Mrs Bola Orefejo and team, warned the staff at the cold store to be sensitive to the safety of the vaccines and ensure that unauthorised staff or individuals are not allowed into the premises of the cold store

“The police boss, however, directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, DCP Ahmed Kontangora, to deploy adequate police personnel to the facility and ordered the Area Commander, Area F, ACP Ali Zongo and Divisional Police Officer, Ikeja, CSP Taiwo Oyewale to personally supervise the men detailed to provide security for the staff and the vaccines accordingly.

“The CP also warned that the entire surroundings of the store be cordoned off while the entire area is made free of intruders”.

So far, Ogun, Lagos, Osun and Ekiti are the states that have confirmed receipt of the vaccines since Friday when the Federal Government commenced distribution.

Recall that the Federal Government had warned that states that were yet to meet some necessary criteria would not receive their share of the vaccines.

Part of the criteria is to provide adequate security around the cold chain store to prevent intruders and criminals from hijacking it.