As the number of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria continues to rise daily, the federal government has threatened to pronounce a second lockdown should the citizens continue to flout the safety protocols introduced to combat the spread of the pandemic.
Chairman of the presidential task force on COVID-19 and secretary to the government of the federation, Mr. PTF, Mr. Boss Mustapha, handed down the threat at the daily briefing by the task force held in Abuja yesterday.
He said the second lockdown was avoidable if Nigerians would comply with the protocols released by the government.
He therefore urged the citizens to do their utmost to avoid a second lockdown in ensuring strict compliance with the non-pharmaceutical interventions already put in place.
“Let me remind you that the pandemic is raging and all tiers of government and citizens must keep their hands on deck.
“We are in a difficult situation in which a balance must continue to be struck between lives and livelihood.
“We are considering all options while hoping that broad cooperation will be received.
“We must do everything possible to avoid a second lockdown in Nigeria.”
He noted that South Africa and Nigeria had continued to report highest daily COVID-19 cases on the continent adding that South Africa, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Algeria and Kenya account for 76 per cent of all cases on the continent.
Mustapha said one in every five persons tested last week COVID-19 positive.
He said the country had moved up to the third position in the highest cumulative case loads while it remains second for new cases and fifth highest in cumulative deaths on the WHO African region.
Also speaking, the coordinator of PTF, Dr. Sani Aliyu, said the federal government was ramping up testing for COVID-19 nationwide with a directive to all the 774 local government areas to test between 400 and 500 samples in the next three weeks.
Also speaking, the minister of health, Dr Osagie Ehanire said the federal government was targeting 70 per cent of the population for inoculation
He also disclosed that the government had released N10 billion to support domestic vaccine production.
“Nigeria is participating in the African Union initiative called ‘African Vaccine Availability Task Team’, which reports directly to the African Union Chairman, President Ramaphosa of South Africa, and has secured options for 270 million doses of various types of vaccines,” he added.
On claims by some persons in Nigeria, to have COVID-19 vaccines for sale, Ehanire advised all citizens to disregard such claims as they are criminals.
