Buhari says the containment period will be used to identify, trace and isolate all individuals that have come into contact with confirmed cases.

In a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari has announced a lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and the capital city of Abuja for 14 days.

The President announced this in a nationwide broadcast on Sunday evening, saying restriction of movement in these cities will begin from 11 pm on Monday, 30th March 2020.

Buhari said the restriction applies to Ogun state because of its proximity to Lagos, where majority of the current 97 cases of coronavirus in Nigeria were recorded.

He said, “Based on the advice of the Federal Ministry of Health and the NCDC, I am directing the cessation of all movements in Lagos and the FCT for an initial period of 14 days with effect from 11 pm on Monday, 30th March 2020. This restriction will also apply to Ogun State due to its close proximity to Lagos and the high traffic between the two States.

“All citizens in these areas are to stay in their homes. Travel to or from other states should be postponed. All businesses and offices within these locations should be fully closed during this period.

“The Governors of Lagos and Ogun States, as well as the Minister of the FCT, have been notified. Furthermore, heads of security and intelligence agencies have also been briefed”.

However, the president exempted hospitals and all related medical establishments as well as organizations in healthcare-related manufacturing and distribution from the restriction.

Other commercial establishments exempted from the restriction order include food processing, distribution and retail companies; petroleum distribution and retail entities; power generation, transmission and distribution companies; and private security companies.

The President maintained that the containment period will be used to identify, trace and isolate all individuals that have come into contact with confirmed cases.