John Adams, Minna

The governor of Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has announced further measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus into the state, with the imposition of a curfew between 8:00 am to 8:00 pm every day until further notice.

The governor has also instituted a ban on all public gatherings of more than 20 persons, and prohibiting street hawking with effect from today.

Governor Bello in a statewide radio and television address on Monday in Minna, the state capital, directed that all ministries, department and agencies be shut down immediately.

The governor directed that civil servant in grade level 1-12 should operate from their homes, adding that hand sanitizers and other public precautions provided at the entrance of the state secretariat.

The governor said: “We have reactivated our Isolation Centre at General Hospital, Minna, and isolation rooms in all our General Hospitals across the state.

“We have prepositioned drugs, medical supplies and personal protection equipment at the Isolation Centre in Minna.”

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Governor Bello disclosed that the state government is collaborating with Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) on effective means of sharing information on how to prevent infection and mitigate it in case of an outbreak in the state.

According to him, the same government will enforce all preventive measures as advised by the NCDC, especially social distancing and hand washing routines.

To this end, the governor directed that “all public and private schools and institutions in Niger State to remain closed down from today, Monday 23rd March 2020. All public gatherings of more than 20 persons are prohibited from today 23rd March 2020.”

The governor, while urging that all public offices including Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) provide hand washing items at the entrance of their facilities, announced that all civil servants on grade level 1-12 are to stay at home, except those on essential services.

The governor in the broadcast asked traditional leaders in the state to ensure all that Almajiri schools in their communities are closed down, stressing that “all forms of street hawking and begging are by this directive banned.”

In addition to all these, the governor said: “As from Wednesday, March 25th, 2020, the state shall observe a daily curfew from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm till further notice.”

He advised the public to be vigilant, to adhere strictly to personal hygiene and social distancing and to seek medical attention in the event of showing symptoms of infection.