Not many Nigerians, especially the vulnerable citizens in the country took the warning from the Minister Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, lightly that government might extend the on-going lockdown of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos and the Ogun states if residents continued to violate the stay-at-home order so as to stem the spread of coronavirus. Mohammed, who dropped the hint of a possible extension of the lockdown, hinged his warning on the failure of the citizenry to comply with the stay-at-home order.
Although there is no evidence since the stay-at-home order was given that the number of positive cases of coronavirus victims has continued to increase with about 224 and five deaths. What might have triggered the minister’s statement is the approaching rainy season, which many consider could be a dangerous period for Nigeria if stringent measures are not taken to force people to adhere to the preventive measures prescribed to contain the spread. While Mohammed appealed to Nigerians to comply with the stay-at-home order during the stipulated period in view of the severity of the pandemic, several other stakeholders are not resting on their oars as they have lent their voices to ‘beg’ Nigerians on the need to adhere to the preventive measures, prominent among which are the stay-at-home and social distancing method for time being. (Text courtesy Guardian)