President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the lockdown on Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), by two weeks as the Federal Governments moves to intensify the war against the Coronavirus pandemic.
Buhari, in a nationwide broadcast on Monday in Abuja, said that the two additional weeks had become necessary to contain the spread of the virus that had manifested in 19 states and the FCT.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Buhari first ordered a total lockdown of the trio on Monday, March 30, 2020. This lasted for two weeks which expired on Monday, April 13.
“The compliance to the stay-at-home order has been generally good, but we need to make more sacrifices to save lives.
“We understand the pains of remaining at home for two more weeks, but this is a critical time and we cannot afford to relax on the war against the coronavirus pandemic,” he said.
Buhari urged Nigerians to adhere to the medical protocol toward avoiding contact with the disease, and particularly emphasised the need to observe social distancing.
“We must also wash our hands regularly, maintain good hygiene and avoid large gatherings,” Buhari added.
He said that reports from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), indicated that a large number of new infections were occurring in communities through person-to-person contacts.
“It means we have to work together and carefully follow the rules so that we shall, together, get over this pandemic stronger in the end,” he said.
NAN reports that Nigeria has so far recorded 323 confirmed cases of the pandemic, with 85 infected persons treated and discharged, while 10 have died of the disease.
Worldwide, the disease, which started in Wuyan, China has hit 1.863 million people and killed 116,000 victims as at the afternoon of Monday, April 13. (NAN)
