Coronavirus: El-Rufai asks FG to suspend Abuja-Kaduna train services

The Kaduna state government has asked the federal government to stop the Abuja-Kaduna train services amid the outbreak of coronavirus.

Speaking during a broadcast on Monday, Nasir el-Rufai, the governor, said this is to protect residents of the state from coronavirus (Covid-19).

There are over 30 coronavirus cases in Nigeria but none in Kaduna. Hwoever, el-Rufai said his administration needs to be proactive.

“We have contacted the relevant federal authorities to stop the Abuja-Kaduna train service and thus limit the danger from contact on the train and influx from people who might have been exposed to infected persons,” he said.

“At a time of danger, non-essential travel is a dangerous luxury and there is no point pretending that we are in normal times. I want to urge all citizens who recently returned from travel overseas to please self-isolate for 14 days.

“The Kaduna State Government is closely observing the implementation of these measures and the evolving global picture and will not hesitate to impose a lockdown of the entire state, if events dictate. This will be done with every effort to take care of the poor and vulnerable.”

The governor also said from Tuesday, only traders selling food and drugs are permitted to open shops in markets.

He added that the order will be enforced by security agencies.

“Markets constitute a source of large gatherings. To manage this in the interim, only traders selling food and medicines are permitted to open their shops, effective from Tuesday, 24th March 2020,” el-Rufai said.

“This directive will be vigorously enforced by the security agencies and the Kaduna Markets Development and Management Company which will also ensure that all markets are fumigated.

“While no case of Covid-19 has been reported Kaduna State so far, the government has a duty to work with all our leaders and residents of our state to jointly ensure that everything is done to reduce the chance of the disease taking root and spreading in the state.

“Therefore, the Kaduna State Government has decided to move from advice to actual enforcement of its restrictions on large gatherings, especially in churches and mosques. Security agencies have been directed to ensure compliance across the state. These agencies will also enforce compliance with the decision to close all schools, whether public or private, religious or secular, Islamiya or run by Christian missions.

“The state government will not hesitate to impose a statewide curfew, should that become the only way to enforce compliance and make everyone understand the collective danger that we face. The emphasis on prevention is the only logical thing to do because our health system cannot cope with an outbreak of Covid-19. It is better to impose restrictions and save lives, than to be complacent and bury victims.”