NCDC Boss Kicks Against Bill Permitting Arrest Of Infectious Diseases Patients

Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has said he is not in favour of the proposed Infectious Disease Bill.

Ihekweazu, who denied involvement in drafting the legislation, addded that the bill required further consultation.

“I’m personally not in favour of drafting a bill in the middle of a crisis,” the NCDC boss was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.

Ihekweazu’s comments came days after the Nigerian senate resumed plenary and are expected to legislate on the bill which has created alot of controversy across the country.

The bill, reportedly sponsored by House Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, is supposed to create a legal framework for the federal government to manage infectious disease outbreaks like the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed about 68 lives in Africa’s most populous country and infecting more than 2,000 others since its outbreak in February.

The bill seeks to give the health minister the right to convert any building into an isolation area, while security officials would be given the right to arrest any individual suffering from an infectious disease without a warrant.

“The Minister may, for the purpose of preventing the spread or possible outbreak of an infectious disease, by notification in the Gazette, declare any premises to be an isolation area…A person who leaves or attempts to leave or is suspected of having left an isolation area in contravention of an order under subsection (3) may be arrested without warrant by any police officer, or by any Health Officer authorised in writing in that behalf by the Director General,” it reads in part.

The bill also seeks to give the NCDC Director General sweeping powers to shut down premises deemed to be overcrowded.

Critics fear the bill could become partisan and abused by government officials.

“A new law is needed but the powers are too sweeping,” Clement Nwankwo, director of the Abuja-based Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, said.

“There’s a lot of powers in the bill which could be used for political purposes.”

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the bill next week.