Posted on Mar 30, 2020
Fed Govt revs up anti-COVID-19 battle
Senate backs President’s action
Commercial city Lagos, capital city Abuja and industrial hub, Ogun State, will remain under a lockdown as the Federal Government steps up the battle to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
The shutdown, which will be for an initial two weeks, “is the containment period to identify, trace and isolate all individuals that have come into contact with confirmed cases,” President Muhammadu Buhari said last night in a broadcast to the nation.
As of 10pm on Sunday, there were 111 cases of coronavirus in Nigeria.
It has spread to 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The broadcast was the first time the President would speak since the pandemic found its way into the country through an Italian who travelled from Milan on February 27.
Before now, states have been taking steps to secure their boundaries – including restriction of human and vehicular movement but the President said the time had come to work in synergy.
The president said the total shutdown is limited to Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory because the infections are prevallent there and in Ogun State because of its contiguity to Lagos, “and the high traffic between the two states.”
In the address that lasted for about 18 minutes, the President said: ”I am directing the cessation of all movements in Lagos and the FCT for an initial period of 14 days with effect from 11pm on Monday, 30th March 2020.