Governor Nasir El-Rufai has extended the lockdown imposed on Kaduna State to stop the spread of the coronavirus by 30 days.
The governor’s spokesman, Muyiwa Adekeye, announced this in a statement on Sunday
It followed the expiration of a one-month quarantine which began in the state on March 26.
According to the statement, El-Rufai’s decision followed the recommendation of the State Standing Committee on COVID-19 chaired by the Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe.
It said the increasing record of coronavirus cases in neighbouring cities, especially Abuja, called for stiffer measures to be taken to curb the spread of the pandemic.
Part of the statement reads: “All persons that venture out of their homes for whatever reason must wear facemasks and observe social distancing everywhere they go, in markets and in authorised vehicles.
“All residents of Kaduna State are quarantined and must stay at home. No office, event centre, market, shop or business of any sort or place of worship is allowed to open.
“The only category of persons exempted are workers in essential services such as health workers, the fire service, water corporation, electricity distribution and security personnel. Tankers conveying fuel to petrol stations are also permitted to move.
“Businesses in the food and pharmaceutical value-chain are exempted and shall enjoy the protection accorded to other essential services.
“Schools, places of worship, event centres, sports grounds, bars, restaurants, public parks and all other places where large crowds could gather are to remain closed until further notice.”
The government stressed that no visitor is welcome in the state during the pandemic, adding that mobile courts have been empowered to try violators and impose the prescribed penalties, including fines, imprisonment and forfeiture of vehicles, upon conviction.
El-Rufai tested positive for COVID-19 in March.
He announced his recovery on Wednesday after testing negative twice.
According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as of Saturday night, 10 of the 1182 coronavirus cases reported in the country were confirmed in Kaduna State.
