Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
Osun State governor, Adegboyega Oyetola,  has urged the Federal Government to lockdown other states in a bid to contain the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic. 
He said this against the background of the three new confirmed cases in the state as of Tuesday.
It was gathered that the three new cases were among the 127 returnees from Cote d’Ivoire, who had been at an isolation centre in Ejigbo town. The three new cases returned positive after 24 suspected cases were tested.
Speaking on Tuesday night, Oyetola said the total lockdown of the country had become necessary to avoid what he termed trans-border transfer of the virus.
But as of Wednesday, nine more cases were  confirmed by the Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC). This brings the number of cases in the state to 14.
The governor insisted that the only way to properly safeguard entry and exit into the country and between states in the country is to announce a total lockdown in the country.
Oyetola spoke while participating in a special programme tagged: “Journalists Hangout” on TVC on Tuesday evening.
“The war against Coronavirus must be total. We should not be concentrating on three or few states alone. We should see this as a national emergency,” the governor stressed.
“I am advocating a total lockdown so that what is happening in Lagos, Ogun and FCT can be extended to other states as a better way to curb the spread of the Coronavirus,” he added.
“About four days ago, my colleague governor in Ogun State, alerted me to the fact that some Nigerians of Osun origin were coming in from Cote d’ivoire. I thanked him for his efforts because he also provided escort for them to be conveyed to us.
“We immediately received them on arrival and kept them in an isolation centre in Ejigbo. By Tuesday, out of the 24 samples that were tested,  three were already positive. So you can imagine what the other outcomes will look like by the time we get the results of the remaining 103 samples.
“So, we should look beyond Lagos, FCT and Ogun, if we must adequately contain the spread of the virus. I want the Federal  Government to come to the aid of the states. As it is, most of the states do not have the facilities to combat the disease.
“As we all know, most of the states are struggling to pay salaries, like us in Osun, in spite of the fact that we are struggling to pay salaries, we have purchased seven new ventilators and set up isolation centres. So the FG should come to our aid.”
 Oyetola appealed to Nigerians particularly the people of Osun to adhere to the ‘Stay at Home” directive put in place by the state.
He stressed that the measure was ordered in the interest of the state and the citizens.
“I want to appeal to our people to stay at home, that is the only way to contain the spread of the virus because there are no two ways to it.
“Though, there are confirmed cases, if we obey this rule, it will be very easy for us to contain the spread, because we will be able to know who and who is infected, and treat them.
“The cases we have for now are stable. They are receiving adequate medical care. We have also set up the State’s Food and Relief Committee to help cushion the effect of the lockdown,” Oyetola added.