COVID -19: Govs agree on 14-day national lockdown

Governors of the 36 States of the Federation on Wednesday “unanimously” agreed to the implementation of an inter-State lockdown for two weeks to contain the spread of COVID-19.

25 States have recorded cases of coronavirus with 782 confirmed cases as at 11:25 pm on April 21 with 25 deaths.

The Governors, operating under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), reached the agreement after receiving a briefing from the Governors of Lagos, Bauchi, Oyo and Ogun States who shared their experiences and lessons from the fight against COVID-19.

A communiqué issued by the NGF chairman and governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, at the end of the sixth COVID-19 teleconference meeting said only essential services would be permitted during the national lockdown.

Fayemi said: “Governors unanimously agreed to the implementation of an inter-state lockdown in the country over the next two weeks to mitigate the spread of the virus from state to state. Only essential services will be permitted.”

“In order to strengthen coordinated implementation of necessary public health recommendations across states, governors resolved to set up COVID-19 committees at the regional level, headed by their state Commissioners of Health.

“Regional committees will continue to interface with the State Task Force Committees on COVID-19 already established in each state.