COVID-19: ‘Lagos Not On Lockdown’

Lagos State Government has clarified that Lagos is not on lockdown despite the stringent measures introduced by the government to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic. A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso described as erroneous news reports that Lagos is on lockdown following Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s update on COVID-19 on Tuesday.

The Governor, according to the statement only urged private sector establishments to introduce measures that will support the government’s efforts at curtailing the spread of COVID-19. Governor Sanwo-Olu had also suggested that banks should enhance their online banking services to enable their customers have transactions without visiting banking halls while he directed that all markets that are not selling food, pharmaceutical products, water, medical equipment and other essential materials should close down.

Workers providing essential services including fire service, emergency, health, water, telecommunication, security, media and others are exempted from the directive. “The initiatives being introduced by the government are to prevent any situation where more than 25 persons will gather in the same place at any time,” the statement reads in part.

Omotosho assured that the government will continue to appraise the situation, consult various stakeholders and make further announcements to check the spread of the lethal disease. He appealed to residents to observe simple hygiene measures, such as hand washing with soap and water, covering mouth while sneezing or coughing and consulting a doctor when feeling ill. “Anyone feeling unwell should stay indoors,” he said