BUHARI LOCKS DOWN ABUJA, LAGOS, OGUN, AS CORONAVIRUS CASES HIT 111

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a lockdown of Abuja, Lagos and Ogun to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). The President gave the order in a nationwide broadcast on Sunday evening.

The announcement came just as news broke that COVID-19 cases in the country increased to 111 on Sunday and more prominent Nigerians tested positive for the disease. Among those who tested positive were the Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Prof. Jesse Otegbayo; the Provost and Deputy Provost of the College of Medicine, Ibadan, Ezekiel Olapade-Olaopa and Obafunke Denloye respectively; and the Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control at 9:30 pm on Sunday confirmed 14 new infections, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 111.

The confirmation was made via the NCDC Twitter handle , “Fourteen new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria; nine in Lagos and five in FCT. As at 09:30 pm 29th March, there are 111 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria with 1 death.”

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A month after the country recorded the first COVID-19 case, the President spoke on the pandemic, announcing amongst other things, the lockdown of three states.

”Based on the advice of the Federal Ministry of Health and the NCDC, 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,” he said.

”This restriction will also apply to Ogun State due to its close proximity to Lagos and the high traffic between the two States.”

The president said all citizens in these areas are to stay in their homes and that travel to or from other states should be postponed.

”All businesses and offices within these locations should be fully closed during this period. The Governors of Lagos and Ogun States as well as the Minister of the FCT have been notified. Furthermore, heads of security and intelligence agencies have also been briefed,” he said.

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Buhari said this containment period will be used to identify, trace and isolate all individuals that have come into contact with confirmed cases.

”We will ensure the treatment of confirmed cases while restricting further spread to other states,” he said.

”This order does not apply to hospitals and all related medical establishments as well as organizations in health care related manufacturing and distribution.”

He added that food processing, distribution and retail companies; petroleum distribution and retail entities; power generation, transmission and distribution companies; and private security companies were also exempted.

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In addition, “Workers in telecommunication companies, broadcasters, print and electronic media staff who can prove they are unable to work from home are also exempted."

According to the President, while all flights remained suspended, any form of inter-state vehicular or seaport movements for the purpose of conveying foodstuffs and medical supplies would be done in strict compliance to safety regulations.

“All seaports in Lagos shall remain operational in accordance with the guidelines I issued earlier. Vehicles and drivers conveying essential cargoes from these ports to other parts of the country will be screened thoroughly before departure by the Ports Health Authority.

“Furthermore, all vehicles conveying food and other essential humanitarian items into these locations from other parts of the country will also be screened thoroughly before they are allowed to enter these restricted areas.

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“Accordingly, the minister of health is hereby directed to redeploy all Port Health Authority employees previously stationed in the Lagos and Abuja airports to key roads that serve as entry and exit points to these restricted zones.

“Movements of all passenger aircraft, both commercial and private jets, are hereby suspended. Special permits will be issued on a need basis.”

The President, admitted that the measures would cause pain to the citizenry, but noted that they were necessary to stop Nigeria from going the way of Italy, Spain and France who had recorded heavy casualties.

He promised to announce relief measures for the satellite town residents of Lagos and Abuja, who would be most affected by the measures, in the weeks ahead.

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In the meantime, Buhari disclosed that a strategy was being worked out in conjunction with the state governments to sustain the school feeding programme, in spite of the fact that schools were already closed.

He spoke on other palliatives, saying, “Furthermore, I have directed that a three-month repayment moratorium for all TraderMoni, MarketMoni and FarmerMoni loans be implemented with immediate effect.

“I have also directed that a similar moratorium be given to all Federal Government funded loans issued by the Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture and the Nigeria Export and Import Bank.

“For on-lending facilities using capital from international and multilateral development partners, I have directed our development financial institutions to engage these development partners and negotiate concessions to ease the pains of the borrowers.

“For the most vulnerable in our society, I have directed that the conditional cash transfers for the next two months be paid immediately. Our internally displaced persons will also receive two months of food rations in the coming weeks.”

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The President urged Nigerians to sustain all safety regulations already put in place by the NDDC, especially social distancing, banning of large gatherings, use of sanitisers and wearing of face masks.