The Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 and security chiefs in the country have agreed that henceforth, there will be strict enforcement of the measures to gradually ease the Coronavirus lockdown following cases of widespread violations.
Chairman of the Task Force, Boss Mustapha, during Friday’s national briefing on the state of COVID-19 in Nigeria, said this was part of the outcome of a meeting with the security chiefs, adding that the PTF is also liaising with the Task Force on movement of agricultural produce to ensure that food scarcity is not experienced in any part of the country.
Following series of complaints by Nigerians including those on essential services on the alleged infringement of their rights by security operatives in the enforcement of the first phase of the gradual easing of the lockdown, the PTF said though security agencies are now to ensure strict enforcement, but they must respect the right of every citizen in carrying out the order.
On the controversy surrounding the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control support team sent to Kogi State to assist its response to the pandemic but was turned back by the State Governor, Yahaya Bello, the Task Force said it will engage with authorities in the state to resolve differences.
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, apologised to Nigerians who just returned from the United Kingdom on the lapses in conveying them from Lagos to Abuja where they would be placed on 14-day isolation, while the PTF National Coordinator, Sani Aliyu, called for more compliance with the guidelines on easing of the lockdown.
