FG speaks on considering another lockdown

The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 says the Federal Government is not contemplating another lockdown this weekend.

A statement from the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, urged Nigerians to disregard the misinformation circulating on social media that the Federal Government is contemplating another lockdown.

The statement reads in part, “The attention of the Presidential Task Force on COVID -19 has been drawn to some misinformation circulating on the social media to the effect that the Federal Government is contemplating another lockdown this weekend.

“The PTF wishes to state categorically that there is no such consideration at any of its meetings nor has any recommendation been made to this effect to the President.

“The PTF frowns at such unpatriotic misinformation which is capable of causing unnecessary panic and anxiety among the populace.”

The PTF urged Nigerians to join hands with the Federal Government to contain the spread of the virus in the country by adhering to non-pharmaceutical interventions recommended.

Recall that the National Coordinator of PTF, Dr. Sani Aliyu, had at a recent briefing in Abuja, said the Federal Government will have no option other than to impose a fresh lockdown on the country if the rising cases of COVID-19 infections recorded lately continue.

The PTF Coordinator had said the rising COVID-19 infections recorded of recent in the country were concerning and might require a fresh lockdown.

Aliyu had said, “If these numbers continue to go up and we start having significant deaths, we will have no option. If we do not want to lock down, now is the time to make sure that we follow the non-pharmaceutical interventions.”

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Nigeria has recorded over 100,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and over 1,300 deaths.

The health agency says over 80,000 people have recovered from the viral infection so far.

The Federal Government had in March 2020 locked down the Federal Capital Territory as well as Lagos and Ogun States for over five weeks as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic.