Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has re-imposed fresh restrictions to movement and banned large public gatherings amid fears of the escalating second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ekiti Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation Akin Omole announced on Sunday evening that the state government had imposed 8 pm to 6 am daily curfew across the state.
Mr Omole said in a statement that the government had equally banned all public gatherings of more than 20 people anywhere in the state until further notice.
“These restrictions take effect from Monday, Jan. 11, 2021 at 6:00am. These drastic steps, as approved by Gov Kayode Fayemi, are as a result of the alarming rate at which the second wave of COVID-19 is spreading in Nigeria and elsewhere,” he said.
According to him, there was the need for government to be proactive and take decisive steps to secure the citizens from falling victims of the pandemic that had claimed thousands of lives across the globe.
He urged the people to continue to strictly observe COVID-19 protocols, and also abide by the curfew and new restrictions placed on public gatherings by the government.
Omole also called on the public to ensure that they wear their face masks properly, wash their hands with soap and use hand sanitiser regularly, as well as keep social distance to avoid contracting the virus.
He added that the curfew imposed throughout the state would be strictly enforced, except for those that are on essential services, while the ban on all public gatherings of more than 20 people should be strictly observed to avoid penalties.
The commissioner announced that the government would, however, allow faithfuls to observe two services of their religious worships on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, accordingly, but that all the services must not extend beyond 2pm.