Ekiti govt initiates two-weeks lock-down over coronavirus outbreak

Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi on Sunday announced a 14-day total shut down of the state and as well imposed 12-hour dusk-to-dawn curfew effective from midnight on Monday.

This is in line to help curb the effects of the deadly coronavirus that has infected at least 97 persons in Nigeria, killing one, as of March 29.

The governor made the announcement in a statewide broadcast on Sunday morning.

He said, “It is in urgent public interest that we must ensure strict compliance with all directives given to prevent community spreading of the disease. Therefore, in our collective interest and to further ensure the safety of Ekiti-kete, having declared Coronavirus 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 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.”

The governor also shut all borders, urging Nigerians to remain in their state of residence.

“All boundaries of Ekiti State are closed during this period, except for transportation of fuel, food and drugs and other essential goods. All non-residents who arrive the State prior to, or after, the imposition of this restriction, and who remain in the State, must remain in their place of temporary residence in the State for the duration of the 14 days, as the case may be, and may be subjected to screening for COVID-19 and be quarantined or isolated if necessary,” he added.