FEDERAL GOVT WARNS STATES AGAINST LIFTING BAN ON RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES

The federal government has warned states lifting lockdown, to weigh the consequences of their decisions.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation ( SGF ) Boss Mustapha, gave the warning on Friday at the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID – 19, in reaction to the lifting of restrictions on religious activities in Borno, Ebonyi, Gombe and Adamawa states.

While calling for caution, Mustapha noted that in providing leadership for the fight against the pandemic, President Muhammadu Buhari encouraged state governments to adapt national guidelines suitable to their state and expected that such adaptation should be informed by empirical evidence of progress made.

The SGF, who is the Head of the Presidential Task Force, urged states lifting restrictions which allowed for large congregation of people to weigh their consequences in relation to creating opportunities for more seeding of the virus ,thereby negating the gains already made.

As at Friday,.May 15, a total of 5,445 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Nigeria, out of which 1,320 patients have been discharged, while 171 have died.