FG Restricts Religious, Sporting Gatherings, Yuletide Parties, Others

The President, Muhammadu Buhari, has ordered the closure of all bars, night clubs pubs and event centres, and recreational venues for the next five weeks to contain the spike in COVID-19 pandemic. Also ordered to be closed included all restaurants, while schools would remain closed till at least January 18, 2021. The government also restricted guests at all informal and formal festivity events, including weddings, conferences, congresses, office parties, concerts, seminars, sporting activities and end of year events to 50 persons. The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force(PTF) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha stated these on Monday. According to him, all government staff on grade level 12 and below are to stay at home for the next five weeks. Mustapha, also stated that “statistics show that a good percentage of in bound travellers have breached the travel protocols, thereby making surveillance and testing suffer undue setbacks. The PTF has concluded arrangements with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to impose sanctions on these defaulters for breaching the public health protocols, within ambit of the law. The PTF has surveyed developments and actions taken by governments around the world, assessed our domestic environment and has accordingly submitted its recommendations to Mr President on immediate measures to be taken. Accordingly, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has authorised the PTF to engage with the states and the FCT to assume full ownership of this stage of the response by deploying legal structures and resources, including enforcement to manage the pandemic within their jurisdictions.”