COVID-19: Lagos govt threatens one year imprisonment over failure to wear face mask

The Lagos State Government has warned residents that failure to wear face in public places and violation of COVID-19 protocols could attract up to one year imprisonment.

The warning comes days after the presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19 said there were indications that Nigeria had entered a second wave of infections, considering the recent uprise in the number of positive cases.

The State Government in a tweet on Tuesday, December 22, said those who breached the COVID-19 regulations risked prosecution under the infectious diseases regulations.

“Did you know? Failure to wear a face mask in public or breach of any COVID-19 regulations, you can be prosecuted under the Lagos State Infectious Diseases (Prevention) Regulations or Criminal Law of Lagos State and upon conviction liable to imprisonment up to one (1) year,” it tweeted.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who is still in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, said during the weekend that the State cannot afford another total lockdown amid the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He however advised residents to adhere to health protocols and Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) to curtail the spread of the infection.

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), as of Tuesday, December 22, Lagos, which is the epicentre of COVID-19 has recorded 27,091 confirmed cases, 24,350 recoveries and 238 deaths.