President Muhammadu Buhari has extended the current lockdown order in Lagos, Ogun and the FCT, for another 14 days, to ensure proper containment of the novel Coronavirus in the country.
The president made the declaration in a nationwide broadcast on Monday. He said the decision to extend the initial 14-day lockdown was taken after “having carefully considered the briefings and report from the Presidential Task Force and the various options offered.”
“It has become necessary to extend the current restriction of movement in Lagos and Ogun States as well as the FCT for another 14 days effective from 11:59 pm on Monday, 13 April, 2020. I am therefore once again asking you all to work with Government in this fight.
Although, he explained that the decision wasn’t easy for his administration to take, but it became imperative in order to end the spread of COVID-19 in the country, as the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control has alerted on community transmission of the virus.
“This is not a joke. It is a matter of life and death. Mosques in Makkah and Madina have been closed. The Pope celebrated Mass on an empty St. Peter’s Square. The famous Notre Dame cathedral in Paris held Easter Mass with less than 10 people. India, Italy and France are in complete lockdown. Other countries are in the process of following suit. We cannot be lax.
“This is a difficult decision to take, but I am convinced that this is the right decision. The evidence is clear.
“The repercussions of any premature end to the lockdown action are unimaginable.
“We must not lose the gains achieved thus far. We must not allow a rapid community transmission. We must endure a little longer.”
It would be recalled that Buhari had made an initial announcement of 14 days lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja, on 29 March 2020, to curb the spread of the virus in the country, which was supposed to expire by the end of today, Monday 13 April 2020.
However, Pharmanewsonline reports that there have been outcry from different quarters to relax the order, following untold hardship and hunger brought about by the restriction on the populace.
