Lai Mohammed clarifies ‘second lockdown’

Lai Mohammed

Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, has insisted that the Federal Government of Nigeria has no plan to inflict a second lockdown on Nigeria as the country fights to curtail the second wave of COVID-19.

Mohammed also urged Nigerians to adhere to all guidelines issued by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.

The minister said this at a press conference in Lagos State on Monday.

Recall that the Federal Government had in March 2020 locked down FCT, as well as Lagos and Ogun States for over a month during the first wave of the pandemic.

Mohammed said, “On the issue of lockdown, I do not think there is any time when the Federal Government has said it’s going to have a second lockdown.

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“However, the Federal Government is very unhappy that Nigerians aren’t adhering to the basic COVID-19 protocols of wearing face masks or practicing social distancing, of washing hands, of ensuring that they do gather in large numbers.

“If we don’t do these, the surge will continue, and with the new strain of COVID-19 which is becoming much more difficult to handle than the old strain, the Federal Government will continue to insist and encourage Nigerians to please obey the COVID-19 protocols.

“The Federal Government is aware of the economic and social implications of a second lockdown, but we want to call on Nigerians to help us, help themselves and help the economy, by adhering strictly to the COVID-19 protocols,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) on Sunday night reported 917 new COVID-19 infections in the country.