Buhari Extends Lockdown by Another 14 days as COVID-19 Cases Hit 323

• Buhari Extends Lockdown by Another 14 days as COVID-19 Cases Hit 323

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday extended Nigeria lockdown by another 14 days starting from 11:59 pm, April 13, 2020.

The president, in his addresses, said as of March 30, 2020 the nation has 131 confirmed cases and two deaths but exactly two weeks later, that number has risen to 323 and 10 fatalities.

“Here in Nigeria, we had 131 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in 12 States on 30th March 2020. We had two fatalities then.

“This morning, Nigeria had 323 confirmed cases in twenty States. Unfortunately, we now have ten fatalities. Lagos State remains the centre and accounts for 54% of the confirmed cases in Nigeria. When combined with the FCT, the two locations represent over 71% of the confirmed cases in Nigeria.

“Most of our efforts will continue to focus in these two locations.”

Buhari, therefore, explained that “Our approach to the virus remains in 2 steps – First, to protect the lives of our fellow Nigerians and residents living here and second, to preserve the livelihoods of workers and business owners.

“With this in mind and having carefully considered the briefings and Report from the Presidential Task Force and the various options offered, it has become necessary to extend the current restriction of movement in Lagos and Ogun States as well as the FCT for another 14 days effective from 11:59 pm on Monday, 13th of April, 2020. I am therefore once again asking you all to work with Government in this fight.

“This is not a joke. It is a matter of life and death. Mosques in Makkah and Madina have been closed. The Pope celebrated Mass on an empty St. Peter’s Square. The famous Notre Dame cathedral in Paris held Easter Mass with less than 10 people. India, Italy and France are in complete lockdown. Other countries are in the process of following suit. We cannot be lax.”

Read the full transcript here.