Breaking - FG Eases Lockdown, Reopens Banks, Religious Centres, Adjusts Curfew To 10pm, But Schools Remain Closed

The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Presidential Task Force (PTF), has ordered the reopening of all financial institutions, religious centers, extends curfew to 10pm, but left all educational institutions closed, in an effort to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on the COVID-19 pandemic and Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, made this known during a briefing on Monday evening in Abuja.

Mustapha said that the new directives which are to be implemented for the next four weeks were approved by President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle coronavirus in the country.

The measures approved include; the relaxation of the restriction on places of worship, adjusting curfew to between 10pm to 4am, the full reopening of financial institutions, saying that banks can now work full time from Monday to Friday while observing the set preventive measures, but schools to remain closed.

However, he advised exiting students to be prepared for their exams as he affirmed that funeral ceremonies remain restricted to a maximum of 20 family members.

The measures disapproved include; the ban of social gatherings of more than 20 people outside of a workplace is still in place, a ban on inter-state travels except for the movement of agricultural produce, petroleum products, manufactured goods, and essential services; no further evacuation of Nigerians abroad will be permitted, while the aviation industry can resume domestic flights on June 21.

The approved preventive measures were the mandatory use of non-medical face masks in public places, mandatory provision of handwashing facilities/sanitizers in all public places, and extensive temperature checks in public places.

The PTF chairman reiterated maintaining 2 meters distance between people in public places and the strengthening of infection prevention and control at healthcare facilities

Meanwhile, the NCDC has stated that Nigeria is yet to reach the peak of it confirmed cases and that the battle against the ravaging COVID-19 is still a long term one.