FG: Lockdown Reduced Pandemic Cases

The federal government through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has said the lockdown imposed on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, as well as Lagos and Ogun states reduced the rise in COVID-19 cases in the country.

Speaking yesterday on Sunday Politics, a live Programme on Channels Television, the National Coordinator in the fight against COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu, argued that the number of confirmed cases would have been significantly higher without the lockdown order.

Aliyu insisted that the it was important for people to observe the lockdown for as long as it is in effect.

“Some of the modeling studies we have done show that if we hadn’t put through the lockdown, we probably would have had much higher numbers.

“Certainly, if you look at Europe and North America, the numbers doubles every three to four days and this is not what is happening in Nigeria.

“So, to a certain extent, we are doing something right in this country. The numbers remain relatively low compared to the trend in other countries.”

…Says No Reopening of Schools Yet

The federal government through the Ministry of Education has urged Nigerians to disregard some false news flying around that it had directed the reopening of schools.

The ministry’s Director of Press, Mr. Ben Goong, clarified yesterday that there was no such directive from the minister, Malam Adamu Adamu, adding that everyone had been instructed to work from home due to the pandemic.

Goong urged parents, guardians and stakeholders not to be misled by fake news but should continue to abide by the federal government’s regulations to tackle the ravaging pandemic.

“On the issue of reopening of schools, the ministry has not directed the reopening of any school at any level. The purported press release by the minister to that effect is a clear forgery as it did not emanate from the minister.

“Parents, students and the general public are advised to please disregard the fake release. There is also another story making the rounds that the federal government has blamed the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on vice-chancellors. At no time did any Federal Government official make that kind of statement.

“Any insinuation in that direction is simply emanating from the fertile imagination of the author and that the ministry has nothing whatsoever to do with it. Stakeholders and indeed the general public should disregard such statements. Stay at home, stay safe.

Let’s work from home like I’m doing. Only the living can work or worship.”