Lockdown extension anticipated as Buhari addresses nation by 7pm

President Muhammadu Buhari will deliver a national broadcast by 7pm on Monday.

This is according to a statement released by Femi Adesina, special adviser to the president on media and publicity.

“President Muhammadu Buhari will broadcast to the nation Monday, April 13, 2020, at 7pm,” the statement read.

“Television, radio and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) respectively for the broadcast.”

The only address made by the president on the coronavirus outbreak was on March 29, a month after the country recorded its first case.

The index case was confirmed by Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) on February 28.

In his first address, the president had directed that Lagos, Ogun and Abuja be on lockdown for 14 days to control the spread of the virus.

The 14-day directive expires by midnight.

There have been calls on social media for the lockdown directive to be extended on the account of an increase in the number of confirmed cases.

As at 9:10pm on Sunday, a total of 323 cases had been confirmed in the country with 85 patients discharged and 10 deaths recorded.

COVID-19 cases have been recorded in 20 states across the country.