Compulsory cOVID-19 Vaccination: CSOs, Student Body Gives edo govt 24 hours ultimatum to reverse decision

Members of civil society organisations (CSOs)/and leadership of the students union yesterday in Benin City, issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Edo State Government to withdraw the compulsory vaccination or face a total shut down of the economy.
The group took to major streets to protest against the compulsory COVID-19 vaccination policy put in place by Governor Godwin Obaseki-led’s administration.
The protesters, who grounded vehicular movement in the metropolis carried placards bearing inscriptions as: ‘We need security in Edo, not vaccine’; ‘We will resist any form of executive rascality’; ‘Hunger is killing us, not COVID-19’; ‘Obaseki Obey Court Order’; ‘My body is my right’; ‘Share COVID-19 Palliative’, among others.
They also threatened to completely shut down the state Government House, agencies/parastatals, corporate organisations that are enforcing ‘no vaccine, no entry policies, stressing that the protest of Monday was just a warning.
Speaking at the secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State Council, Comrade Curtis Ogbebor, coordinator, Freedom Ambassador Organisation, said they were out to express their displeasure over the compulsory vaccination in the state, just as he stressed that there are other pressing issues such as security that the Governor should pay priority to and not COVID-19 vaccination.
“We are giving the Governor 48 hours to withdraw the compulsory vaccination or we shut down the economy of the state, if he continue with his compulsory vaccination enforcement.
“We have come out today to send a warning and advice for him to urgently withdraw that enforcement order. Forty-eight hours after, if he refuses to withdraw that order, we will mobilize to shut down the economy of the state. We cannot fold our arms and watch the act of illegality befall our state.
“There are issues of urgent concern like security which is enshrined in the Constitution that the Governor is under the law to secure the lives and properties of its citizenry. But as we speak, the Governor is not concern about the security and welfare of the people. 
“As we speak, no street light is working in Edo State; Benin-Auchi Road is not safe to travel on because of bandits and herdsmen. 
“The governor receives N9bn annually as a security vote, but as we speak, the police stations that were razed during the #EndSARS protest which he promised to rebuild are still there untouched. 
“The local security apparatus that was put in place, many Edo youths are ready to sacrifice their lives to secure Edo people but the governor has refused to fund them.” 
He urged the state government to focus more on infrastructural development rather than enforcing COVID-19 vaccination on the people. 
Also speaking on behalf of students in Edo State, Comrade Osamudiamen Ogbidi, National Publicity Officer, Nigeria Student, and Youth Association, said students in the state reject the forceful COVID-19 vaccination.
While noting that the protest was just a warning and that students would be mobilized to shut down the state, he said all youths in the state have rejected the compulsory vaccination.
Speaking on banks enforcing the policy, he said, “We are aware that banks too are making it compulsory for their staff to be vaccinated and that they are about to enforce ‘no Vaccine, no entry policy. And we are sending a warning to them that if they try it, we are going to shut down the banks.