Ogun extends lockdown for fourth time

Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun, has extended the partial lockdown in the state by another week.

He made the announcement on Friday while giving an update on the COVID-19 situation in the state.

This is the fourth time the lockdown will be extended in Ogun since President Muhammadu Buhari restriction og movement in Lagos, Ogun and the federal capital territory (FCT) on May 4, 2020.

Abidoun said there are ongoing efforts to ensure resumption of full business operations in the state from June 1, 2020.

Giving details on the figure of COVID-19 cases, he said the state recorded its highest increase in the last one week, with 49 patients in the past seven days, bringing the total to 183.

“However, having it in mind that confirmed cases keep increasing due to the flagrant disregard for measures and restrictions, especially the interstate travel ban, we will be maintaining the lockdown window on Monday 25th May, 2020, Wednesday 27th, and Friday 29th between 7am (morning) and 5pm (evening),” he said.

“As an instance, 4 people travelling in from Niger State were intercepted by Officers in Abeokuta four days ago, while 19 people travelling in through illegal land borders from Togo and Cote d’Ivoire were intercepted and quarantined at Idiroko on Wednesday. But we have charged 224 lockdown and curfew violators to Mobile Courts already.

“To enhance our healthcare capacity, we are already renovating select Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the State, while we have trained 200 personnel with the PHCs and some private health facilities, which would be accredited by the NCDC, on the specialised handling and management of the virus.”

He said about 2,500 participants would be trained.

Abiodun congratulated Muslims for seeing the end of the Ramadan fast, and also commended frontline workers and the entire Ogun state populace for their sacrifices, support and cooperation.