Muhammadu Buhari extend lock down and sign quarantine order

PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI'S, ADDRESS PRESIDENT ON THE EXTENSION OF COVID- 19 PANDEMIC LOCKDOWN IN NIGERIAN. 

Fellow Nigerians, 

 I have ordered the resident's of Lagos, Ogun, as well as the Federal Capital Territory to stay at home for an initial period of fourteen days starting from the Monday, 30th of March 2020.    Many State Governors have also introduced similar restrictions, as your democratically elected leaders, we made this difficult decisions knowing fully well that it will severely disrupt your livelihoods and bring undue hardship to you, your loved ones and your communities, such sacrifice are needed to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our country.  

Our objective is to contain the spread of the Coronavirus through an aggressive actions from our health workers and resources provided by complying to the COVID-19  guidelines issued across the country. 

I have recognized the massive support from our traditional rulers, the Christian association of Nigeria (CAN), Nigerian supreme council for Islamic affairs (NSCIA), public spirited individuals, business communities,international partners and friends, for your great sacrifices to our nation in fighting the coronavirus pandemic, especially our media houses, celebrities and other public figures for their effort in the sensitization of our citizens on hygienic practices to avoid the spread and contraction of COVID-19, by carrying out the instructions given to them on staying safe, which include social distance and with your co-operation we have been able to achieve a lot during these 14 days of initial lock down, by putting intensive measures on testing, isolation and contact tracing, which we have made success in identifying 92% of contact tracing and it made us to multiply the number of testing laboratories centers in Nigeria by raising our testing capacity to 1,500 per day. 

We have trained over 7,000 health workers on infection prevention and control by deploying teams to our national disease control centres in 19 states of the Federation, as Lagos and Abuja  have the capacity to admit about 1,000 patients  because Many State Governors have made provisions for isolation wards and treatment centres, which will be built near our airports and land borders.    

At this point, the incredible work done by our healthcare workers and volunteers across the country, especially in frontline areas of Lagos, Ogun and FCT , we will forever remain grateful for your sacrifice during this very difficult time. But more measures will be put in place to motivate them. 

As a nation, we are on the right track to win the fight against COVID-19, but I remain concerned about the increase in number of confirmed cases and deaths being reported across the world.  


When we started our lock down on 30th of March 2020, by conforming with medical and scientific advice, the total number of confirmed cases across the world was over 780,000 and just yesterday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases globally was over 1,850,000 This figure is more than double in two weeks and 17,000 person have confirmed dead to due the disease.  

In the same period, we have seen the health system of even the most developed nations being overwhelmed by thie virus and here in Nigeria, we have 131 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in 12 States on 30th March 2020.  

From the statistics in Nigeria we have a total of 323 confirmed cases in 20 States. Unfortunately we now have 10 fatalities, but Lagos State remains the centre and accounts for 54% of the confirmed cases in Nigeria. When combined with FCT, the two locations represent over 71% of the confirmed cases in Nigeria. Most of our efforts will continue to focus in these two locations, but Majority of the confirmed cases in Lagos and the FCT are individuals with recent international travel history or those that came into contact with returnees from international trips. By closing our airports, land borders and putting strict conditions for seaport activities, we have reduced the impact of external factors on our country, but the increase in the number of positive cases is alarming. 

The NCDC have informed me that, a large proportion of new infections are now occurring in our communities, through person-to-person contacts, So we must pay attention to the danger of close contact between person to person. 

At this point, i will remind all Nigerian's to continue to take responsibility for the recommended measures to prevent transmission,including maintaining physical distancing,good personal hygiene and staying at home. 

In addition, I have signed the quarantine order in this regard and additional regulations to provide clarity in respect to the control measures for the COVID-19 pandemic which will be released soon and the public health response to COVID-19 is built on our ability to detect, test and admit cases as well as trace all their contacts. While I note some appreciable progress, we can achieve a lot more.  The cessation of movement, physical distancing measures and the prohibition of mass gatherings remain the most efficient and effective way of reducing the transmission of the virus is sustaining these measures, combined with extensive testing and contact tracing, we can take control and limit the spread of the disease. Our approach to the virus remains in 2 steps - First, to protect the lives of our fellow Nigerians and residents living here and secondly, to preserve the livelihoods of workers with business owners.

With this in mind and having carefully considered the briefings and report from the presidential task force and the various options offered, it has become necessary to extend the current restriction of movement in Lagos and Ogun States as well as the FCT for another 14day's effective from 11:59 pm on Monday, 13th of April, 2020.    I am therefore once again asking you all to work with Government in this fight. because is not a joke, it is a matter of life and death, Mosques in Makkah and Madina have been closed. 

The Pope celebrated mass on an empty St. Peter’s Square, the famous Notre Dame cathedral in Paris held Easter mass with less than 10 persons. 
India, Italy and France are in complete lock down, other countries are in the process of following suit.  I will therefore take this opportunity to urge you all to notify the relevant authorities if you or your loved ones develop any symptoms, i will ask our health care professionals to redouble their efforts to identify all suspected cases, bring them into care and prevent transmission to others.  Because we must not lose the gains achieved or not allow rapid increase in communities transmission, the repercussions of any premature end to the lock down action is unimaginable, but i am convinced that this is the right decision only if we endure a little longer with the guidelines. 

In the past two weeks, we announced palliative measures such as food distribution,cash transfers and loans repayment waivers to ease the pains of our restrictive policies during this difficult time, i am aware of the challenges faced by daily income earners such as traders, day workers, artisans and manual workers whose livelihoods depend on mingling with others to get jobs, but despite that we must not change our restrictions. 

 I have also directed that the current social register be expanded from 2.6 million households to 3.6 million households in the next two weeks, this means we will support an additional one million homes with our social investment programs. A technical committee is working to submit their report to me by the end of this week. 

 I want to assure you that the Federal Government, through the Presidential Task Force, will do whatever it takes to support you in this very difficult period. I have no doubt that, by working together and carefully following the rules, we shall over come the coronavirus pandemic. 

I must also thank the Legislative arm of Government for all their support and donations in this very difficult period. This collaboration is critical to the short and long-term success of all the measures that we have instituted in response to the protection of citizens health situation. 

Our economy will face new system of transactions in business, i am directing the Ministers of Industry, Trade and Investment,Communication and Digital Economy,Science and Technology,Transportation, Aviation,Interior,Health, Works and Housing, Labour and Employment and Education to jointly develop a comprehensive functioning policy for the Nigerian economy despite the ravaging saga of COVID-19, which will be supported by the minister and Presidential Economic Advisory Council and Economic Sustainability Committee in executing this mandate.  

I am also directing the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, the National Security Adviser, the Vice Chairman, National Food Security Council and the Chairman, Presidential Fertiliser Initiative to work with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to ensure the impact of this pandemic on our 2020 farming season is minimized. 

Finally i want to thank the members of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for all their hard work so far, Indeed the patriotism shown in your work is exemplary and highly commendable, especially  security agencies have risen to the challenges posed by this unprecedented situation with gallantry and i commend them,urging them to continue to maintain utmost vigilance, firmness as well as restraint in enforcing the restriction orders, but not neglecting statutory security responsibilities and our State Governors have been particularly impressive, in aligning their policies and actions with the Federal Government. 

 Fellow Nigerian's, i have no doubt that by working together and carefully following the rules, we shall get over this pandemic and emerge stronger at the end. 

I thank you all for listening and may God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
  

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