Buhari says lockdown will remain as long as necessary

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the ongoing restriction of movement in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja will last as long as scientists and medical advisers find it necessary.

In a bid to curtail the spread of coronavirus in Nigeria, President Buhari on Sunday, March 29, 2020, announced a lockdown in two states and the Federal Capital Territory.

In a statement on Saturday, April 11, 2020, Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the president quoted Buhari as saying that the lockdown is a major attempt at mitigating the spread of the virus in the country.

He said, “We realize that today, there will be sons and daughters unable to visit their parents, and elders that are isolated from young ones. And there will be those who live day-to-day, eating as they earn, who face real and present suffering.

Nigeria had recorded 305 cases of coronavirus as of April 10, 2020. (Yahoo) AFP

“No elected government could ask more of the citizens of the country that elected them than today we ask of you. But we must ask you — once more — to observe restrictions on movement where they are in place, and follow the instructions of our scientists and medical advisers: stay home, wash your hands, save lives.

“The freedoms we ask you to willingly forsake today will only last as long as our scientific advisers declare they are necessary. But they are essential — world over — to halt and defeat the spread of this virus.”

Buhari also urged Nigerians to endure the lockdown saying there’s no known way of defeating the pandemic yet.

“For those who suffer most egregiously, the Government has announced multiple measures to assist: 70,000 tonnes of grain is being released from the National Strategic Grain Reserves for distribution to those in most need; distribution of small cash payments are also being made, and will continue to be made by the federal government in the states and local government areas,” he said.

“We ask you to listen and follow public announcements via the mass media for instructions as to how to receive this government support — and learn of more public assistance in the coming days.

“All that the Government is asking you to endure is because nowhere in the world today is there any known way of defeating this pandemic. There is no vaccine. And that means there are choices to be made: between continuing as usual, or accepting the restrictions even when they come with unintended consequences.

“But at this darkest hour, it remains our duty to offer you the full and unvarnished truth: This is a global pandemic. 210 countries and territories across the globe are affected. We cannot expect others to come to our assistance. No one is coming to defeat this virus for us.

“Instead, the defeat of the virus in our country will be in our hands, alone. We cannot wait for others. We can only depend on ourselves now. And so we must — and we will — end this outbreak ourselves as Nigerians, together”.

Pulse had earlier reported that President Buhari may extend the lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and Abuja after coronavirus cases in the country rose to 305 on Friday, April 10, 2020.