Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe, Agaju Madugba, Katsina, John Adams, Minna, Rose Ejembi, Makurdi Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebb and Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
Gombe State Special Task Force on COVID-19 said it had identified and advised four people to go into self-isolation following their contact with Bauchi Governor, Bala Mohammed who has tested positive to the virus. Briefing journalists in Gombe, Commissioner for Health, Mohammed Ahmed Gana, said: “As a precautionary measures, we advised them to go into self-isolation while we await test results from the samples taken from them. We are also in close surveillance and are monitoring them.” He explained that the state had decided to introduce a daily press briefing on the outbreak to discourage rumours about the disease. “We have had enough of the rumours being spread and we are telling our people that this should be the only channel for them to get information about COVID-19.”
He disclosed that the task force is considering shutting down any section of or the whole state once a case is confirmed.
“We would rather shutdown and suffer than to have the virus spread and kill us all.”
He assured that the state was on red alert with the activation of response team in the 11 local governments.
“We are on the process equipping our isolation centre in the state Specialist Hospital. We have also converted a hospital built by Yamaltu-Deba LGA in Kwadon community which was handed over to the state government for upgrading to a cottage hospital to an isolation centre for management of mild and moderate cases of COVID-19.”
He added that more hospitals were being identified and converted to isolation centers in the southern part of the state, while the task force is working on building the capacity of the state to be able to detect and test suspected cases without traveling out to Abuja.
Speaker of the House of Assembly which had been closed down for three weeks, Abubakar Sadiq Kurba, revealed that lawmakers were on the trail of a social media user who posted rumours about a member of the House being in close contact with the victim confirmed in Bauchi.
“None of our members have been affected, the picture shown…was taken during the North-East Governors Forum and that was far before the outbreak. We should desist from rumour mongering.”
Katsina suspends Friday prayers, Sunday church services
Katsina Government has ordered the immediate suspension of the Muslim Friday Juma’at prayers and Sunday church services.
A directive to heads of religious organisations in the state, signed by the Permanent Secretary (Political and Common Services), Kashim Ibrahim Nagari, on behalf of the Secretary to the State Government, said henceforth, marriage ceremonies also should be low key.
Niger threatens total shutdown, CP orders decongestion of cells
Niger Government has threatened to shutdown the entire state if residents continued to violate the daily curfew imposed from 8 pm to 8 am.
Commissioner for Health, Maku Sidi, explained that all public and private schools and institutions as well as markets, restaurants, shops and motor parks should remain closed from 8pm to 8am until further notice.
He emphasised that all public gatherings of more than 20 persons and all forms of street hawking and begging have been banned in all parts of the state.
It equally announced the suspension of all church activities that will attract gathering of people more than 20 at a particularly place, including weekly church services on Sundays.
This latest directives was contained in a statement by Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane.
The SSG who is the chairman, Niger State Task Force on COVID-19 appealed to the people to abide by all instructions and guidelines issued, saying that Coronavirus risks increase with mass gatherings.
Meanwhile, the state Police Command in a statement by the Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Wasiu Abiodun, stated that decongesting the cells had become necessary in view of the discoveries of new cases almost on a daily bases. He explained that the order is additional preventive measure by the command to ensure safety of all citizens.
“Members of the public are hereby advised to abstain from social visit to police stations in order to avoid contact.”
He said the police command will in a accordance with the directive of IGP Mohammed Adamu enforce all laws of Niger State on Covid-19 prevention, including restriction of movement.
Tarabans seek shut down of churches, mosques, markets
Residents of Taraba State have called on Governor Darius Ishaku to take more drastic measures to forestall the possible spread of the virus to the state.
The people who spoke to Daily Sun called for implementation of the policy directives that were given without sentiments by shutting down churches, mosques, markets, the airport and land borders.
Mr Oluwale Ayodele calimed government has not taken enough measures to ensure the virus did not make its way into the state or at least curtail the spread.
Similarly, Yakubu Usman believes there was no point closing schools while markets, mosques and churches remain opened, bringing together large number of people and risking the lives of the entire people.
Benue suspends church activies
Benue State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has announced the temporary suspension of activities of all churches in Benue to check the spread of the dreaded coronavirus known as Covid -19.
In an address to the Christian community in the state, CAN Chairman, Rev. Akpen Leva said all church activities should be suspended for two weeks from April 1.
He explained that if any church must meet, only about 50 members would be expected to participate in such church activity at a time.
‘No NYSC member infected in Kebbi’
Kebbi State Government has refuted insinuations in some quarters that a member of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in the state has been infected with the novel Covid 19 (Coronavirus).
Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Ja’afar Muhammad, who is also Chairman, Task Force for control of COVID-19 in the state refuted the insinuations yesterday in Birnin Kebbi during a press briefing .
Muhammad who explained that the state had not yet recorded any case of Coronavirus stressed that, the briefing became necessary following social media reports circulating, that a member of National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) in the state had contracted the virus.
“The 27- year – old NYSC member that was alleged to have contracted the virus was diagnosed at Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Birnin Kebbi on March 24, and the result turned out to be pneumonia, not Covid-19 as falsely speculated.
Kaduna announces total lockdown
Kaduna Government has announced total lockdown of the state with effect from midnight over Coronavirus threat.
Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, made the announcement in a statewide broadcast on Thursday.
” From midnight of Thursday, 26th March 2020, all residents of Kaduna State are quarantined and must stay at home.
“No office, event centre, market, shop or business of any sort or place of worship is allowed to open.
“The only category of persons exempted are workers in essential services such as health workers, the fire service and security personnel.
“Tankers conveying fuel to petrol stations are also permitted to move.
“We recognise that Kaduna State is a transport hub. Therefore, transit through Kaduna will be allowed, provided that such vehicles ply only the Western bye-pass.”
She warned that security agencies would be deployed to impose the curfew.
“Therefore, these emergency measures will be strictly enforced by the security agencies.
“They have clear directives for the immediate arrest, detention and prosecution of any person that violates these measures.
“Churches and mosques will be shut, there will be no congregational prayers or services of worship either within these places of worship or in their immediate outdoors.
“The circumstances of the moment dictate that the worship of God must be conducted in the privacy of our homes, for now.
“Wedding events and all social gatherings are strictly prohibited while these emergency measures remain in place.”
The deputy governor said any worship centre that violates the curfew risks forfeiture of its land title.
Nasarawa shuts worship centres, markets
Nasarawa Government has ordered the immediate shutdown of worship centres and markets across the state until further notice.
Deputy Governor and Chairman of the state’s Special Taskforce on Coronavirus (COVID-19), Dr Emmanuel Akabe, said the decision was taken after several meetings with members of the task force on ways to curb the spread of coronavirus in the state.
“Various sub committees were constituted from the taskforce to include the sub-committees on health, security, food security, justice and law and a sub- committee to look at the effect on the local governments as well.
“The sub committees went to work and made their interim submissions to the taskforce and the taskforce met, considered the submissions of the sub committees and arrived at certain decisions which the governor is in agreement with.
“These decisions stand now as the position of the Nasarawa state government.
“One of the decisions taken is that, worship centres such as mosques and churches are advised to remain closed until further notice.
“Also, all our markets remain closed henceforth except those selling food items and medicament,” he said.
He said that aside the immediate shutdown of worship centres and markets; social gatherings such as weddings, naming ceremonies and burial ceremonies, among others have also been suspended with immediate effect.
Sanitizer prices hit roof tops in llorin
The prices of hand sanitisers in llorin, the Kwara capital, had increased by over 100 per cent.
Although several residents people still clamour for it, in spite of the roof top prices pharmaceutical stores and shops where the product were sold before now in some parts of llorin, have few of the commodity and sold at exorbitant prices.
Mrs Medinat Adeyeye said she purchased a small bottle which was formerly sold for N300 at N700.
A lecturer with the Michael lmoudu National institute for Labour Studies (MlNlLS), Mr AbdulRasaq Adeyemi-Ajayi, said a medium bottle of sanitiser which was sold for N700 now attracts N1,200, noting that several residents of llorin are incapacitated to acquire.
He called on the government to wade into the sales of sanitisers with a view to curbing the unnecessary hike in price so that more Nigerians could have it.