Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has announced a lockdown of the cities of Lagos, Abuja, and Ogun for 14 days to combat the spread of coronavirus in the country.
The lockdown which will be effective today night, 30th March 2020, will start at exactly 11 pm.
President Buhari also announced that the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has risen to 97 in Nigeria with the country already reporting the first coronavirus death.
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday ordered the “cessation of all movements” for two weeks in the largest city Lagos and the capital Abuja to stop the spread of coronavirus.
“All citizens in these areas are to stay in their homes” starting from 2200 GMT on Monday, President Buhari announced the lockdown in a televised address to Nigeria.
“Travel to or from other states should be postponed. All businesses and offices within these locations should be fully closed during this period, “President Buhari said.
Buhari said the restrictions which also covered Ogun state and neighboring Lagos did not include hospitals, food shops, and petrol stations.
“Although these establishments are exempted, access will be restricted and monitored,” President Buhari said.
Nigeria has already closed schools and restricted gatherings to combat the coronavirus spread.
Enforcing a total lockdown on the Nigerian cities will be a great challenge for authorities as millions of the country which is Africa’s most populous rely on daily earnings for survival.
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