COVID-19: Fayemi closes Ekiti borders, imposes curfew for 14 days

Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti, has closed the borders of the state and imposed a curfew for 14 days beginning from Monday.

These are part of measures to check the spread of the coronavirus disease.

The governor took the measures after invoking section 8 of the quarantine act.

In an address to residents of the state on Sunday, Fayemi said it was disappointing that some people are nonchalant about the preventive measures such as washing of hands, coughing and sneezing in their elbows and social distancing.

Fayemi said if steps are not taken to stop the spread of the virus, the state’s economy could be crippled and health infrastructure overwhelmed.

He said the state could not afford a public health crisis given that Ekiti is under financial constraint.

“In our collective interest and to further ensure the safety of Ekiti-kete, having declared Coronavirus (COVID- 19) an infectious disease in Ekiti State, I hereby, in pursuant to Section 8 of the Quarantine Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) impose a curfew of movement in Ekiti state,” the governor said.

“The purpose of this curfew is to impose restrictions on the movement of persons and goods within Ekiti state for an initial period of fourteen days. This is in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Ekiti state.

“Therefore, effective from 23H59 (11:59pm) on Monday, March 30, 2020 until 23H59 (11:59pm) on Monday, April 13, 2020, there shall be restriction of movement across the length and breadth of Ekiti State, with all our borders closed.

“That is a full and total shutdown of Ekiti state, and a 12-hour dusk to dawn curfew in Ekiti State from 7:00pm – 7:00 am. All Ekiti residents are hereby directed to STAY – AT – HOME.

“We are implementing the Quarantine Act to keep all Ekiti residents safe. So let me be clear. If you do not go home or stay home for at least fourteen (14) days as from Monday, 30 March, 2020, you could face serious fines or prison term.”

Ekiti has one case of the coronavirus. The country has so far recorded 97.