EXCLUSIVE: [Coronavirus] Anxiety in Osun as judges embark on foreign trips, defy FG’s isolation order upon return

There are heightened concerns in Osun State over the refusal of judges in the state’s High and Customary Court of Appeal who went on a training in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between Monday 9th of March to Friday 13th of March, 2020 to isolate themselves upon return from the trip.

Investigations by Newsclickng.com revealed that all except two of the judges assigned to the aforementioned courts went for the jamboree in UAE. 

Newsclickng.com reports that while the federal government was yet to roll out all the measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), particularly the travel ban when the judges travelled, however the self-isolation rule by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for people returning from foreign trips was in place.

The NCDC insisted on the self-isolation rule because of the likelihood of contracting the deadly virus from interactions with foreigners without knowing. Hence, the essence of self-isolating for two weeks upon return from such trips to observe the symptoms, report to the NCDC for a test without necessarily infecting others if the result comes out positive.  

Newsclickng.com.ng gathered that rather than observe the compulsory isolation rule, the judges went about their normal businesses with one of them presiding over a case on the very next Monday.

Speaking on the insensitivity of the judges to have embarked on such training at a time the world all over is doing everything possible to contain the virus, an impeccable source in Osun judiciary who confided in Newsclickng.com said: “As a matter of fact, the trip was really an act of insensitivity in the first place. It was a training on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). I don’t know what they would give them in Dubai which could not be given in Nigeria here. They practically locked the Osun judiciary down for one week.

They could do the same training in any part of Osun. They could bring in the resource persons and cut costs instead of going to Dubai with the state’s scarce resources.

On top of this, they came back and didn’t deem it fit to isolate themselves. I learnt they were briefly rounded up at the airport when they came back and quarantined for a while before they were later let go. I don’t know whether this is true though.”

To contain the spread in the state, Governor Gboyega Oyetola had like his counterparts in other states shut schools and also placed a ban on religious/social gatherings of over 50 persons at a time in the state. The State government had also been screening foreigners coming into the state since the outbreak of the pandemic. 

Showing leadership, the governor while confirming the index case on Wednesday (today) in the state confirmed going for a test with his wife after their recent national and international travel histories but both tests came out negative.

Meanwhile, the Chief Registrar, Osun State High Court, Mr. Lasisi in a brief phone interview with our correspondent on Wednesday confirmed the development. According to him, FG’s directives on returning travelers were not as pronounced as it was when the judges traveled and returned from their trips. He also said the judges have started observing the isolation. “The isolation rule/policy wasn’t this pronounced when the judges traveled and returned. However, some of them have not taken up any official assignment upon their return. They have also never fallen sick or show known symptoms of the Coronavirus disease since they returned.”

Newsclickng.com also reached out to one of the judges who participated in the UAE training. He however declined comments but rather directed our correspondent to the Chief Judge. ‘Please direct your inquiries to the Chief Judge,’ he said.

However, efforts by Newsclickng.com to get the Chief Judge’s reaction did not succeed as she did not pick up calls to phone nor returned same as at press time.

The coronavirus has been spreading like wildfire in the country with over 46 confirmed cases – two discharged and one death recorded so far.