Nigeria may relax intra-state lockdown, Restrict inter-state movement on Monday

Nigeria may relax intra-state lockdown, Restrict inter-state movement on Monday

Nigeria likely to relax intra-state lockdown on Monday

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, may on Monday relax movement within states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) but enforce restriction of inter-state travels for another two weeks.

This advice came from the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), a body of all Nigerian State Governors.  After their meeting on Thursday, the NGF came up with the aforesaid recommendations.

Other recommendations to Buhari, according to a letter signed by the Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the NGF, Kayode Fayemi, are continued restriction on large gatherings and compulsory use of face masks in public places.

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari

The call is coming as the nation expects further action from Mr Buhari as a four-week lockdown imposed on Abuja, Lagos and Ogun States by the president draws to a close on Monday.

Several governors also declared lockdowns in their respective states.

Their recommendations are contained in an April 24 memo to the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

Mr Fayemi said the memo followed a teleconference meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on April 22, where governors were asked to suggest what they want reflected in the expected presidential pronouncement, to have a coordinated response across the country.

“Recall at that meeting, it was agreed that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) articulates the issues that it would want to be included in the next Presidential Pronouncement on Covid-19 so as to have a Uniform and Coordinated Policy on Covid-19 at both the national and sub-national levels,” he wrote.

The governors called for nationwide inter-state lockdown that excludes movement of essential supplies — foods, beverages, medical and pharmaceuticals, petroleum supplies and agricultural products.

They also recommended internal free movement but with restrictions on large gatherings and assemblies overnight curfews, lockdown of flights, and compulsory use of face masks/coverings in the public.

Nigeria is currently experiencing community transmission of the virus which is a danger signal for poor a country with poor healthcare facility and sundry poverty.  As at 11:30 p.m on friday, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control announced that 28 states in Nigeria have confirmed cases of coronavirus totalling 1095 index cases with 208 discharged persons and 32 deaths