PTF briefs Buhari as second phase of eased lockdown ends

President Muhammadu Buhari has received briefing from the presidential task force on COVID-19 at the end of another phase of the gradual easing of the lockdown he ordered to check the spread of coronavirus.

The briefing took place at the presidential villa, Abuja, on Monday.

Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation and chairman of the task force, led his team to the briefing.

Those who joined Mustapha are Osagie Ehanire, minister of health; Chikwe Ihekweazu, director general of the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC); and Sani Aliyu, coordinator of the PTF.

Buhari had ordered a lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja on March 30. He later extended the movement restriction by three weeks.

On April 27, Buhari announced the gradual easing of lockdown across the country.

The lockdown was eased to a nationwide night curfew from May 4 to May 17. The first phase of the lockdown was extended by two weeks, which elapsed midnight of June 1.

A second phase was announced to span a period of four weeks from June 2 to June 29.

During the second phase, restrictions on banking operations were relaxed while worship centers resumed activities in some parts of the country but not in Lagos and Ogun.

The federal government had also reviewed the curfew period from 10pm to 4am to reduce the risk of transmission.

As of Sunday evening, Nigeria recorded 24,567 COVID-19 cases.

Although, 9,007 patients have been discharged, 565 deaths have been recorded.