States in Nigeria Reject Forced Vaccination

Some states in Nigeria including Enugu, Taraba, Cross River, Ogun, Bauchi, Abia reject forced vaccination.

Amid Federal Government’s concern over many Nigerians’ reluctance to take the COVID-19 vaccine and its plan to impose sanctions on those who refuse the vaccine when it is made available to all, some states have said they do not intend to force anyone to take the vaccine. The states, including Enugu, Taraba, Cross River, Ogun, Bauchi, and Abia, said they wouldn’t adopt strict measures to compel their citizens to take the vaccine.

In Enugu State, the Commissioner for Information and spokesperson for the state Action Committee on COVID-19, Mr. Chidi Aroh, the state would respect the fundamental rights of every resident of the state. In Ogun State, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, ruled out the option of barring persons who had not been vaccinated from its facilities.

Also, in Bauchi State, the Executive Chairman of the state Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Rilwan Mohammed, said the state had no plan to restrict people that had not been vaccinated from public facilities.