Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has extended by 10 days, the 24-hour curfew imposed on Karu Local Government Area (LGA) as part of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Sule made the announcement on Thursday in Lafia, while updating newsmen on the state government measures to contain spread of the virus.
According to the governor, the extension became necessary following the increasing number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Abuja and its proximity to Nasarawa.
The Governor said: “following the expiration of the two weeks initial 24 hours curfew, the government decided to extent it by 10 days after carefully studying situations.”
He, however, said that the curfew would be relaxed between 10am to 2pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays to allow residents purchase food items from markets around their neighbourhood.
Sule further explained that the restriction of movement from 8pm to 6am in other LGAs across the state is still in force.
The governor said that mobile Courts have been activated in various locations in the state to prosecute violators of the lockdown and movement restriction directives.
He said that worship centres, hotels, event centres, clubs, markets and shops would remain closed except those selling food and pharmaceutical products.
Sule explained that medical personnel would screen travellers at boarder towns and various checkpoints to ascertain their status.
He directed security agencies to arrest children found begging on the streets and hand them to the social welfare department of the ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for sanction.
On palliative to cushion the effect of COVID-19 lockdown, Sule said the state government had distributed over 15,600 bags of rice to the needy across the 13 LGAs.
He added that more palliative materials were underway for the people with support from the private sector.
“We have gotten support of more palliatives from the organised private sector and would soon arrive from Lagos and more people would be included.
“We also have medical equipments that would soon arrive the state for our isolation centres,” Sule added.
He, therefore, urged the people to maintain social distancing, observe personal hygiene, wash their hands with water and soup to curtail spread of the virus.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that Gov Sule had proclaimed an initial 14-day lockdown in Karu LGA, effective from April 2, to April 16. (NAN) q
