Establishments Exempted From Buhari’s Lockdown Order

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday ordered the lockdown of movement for two weeks in the largest city Lagos, Ogun State and the capital Abuja to stop the spread of coronavirus.

“All citizens in these areas are to stay in their homes” starting from 11pm on Monday, Buhari announced in a televised address to the nation.

“Travel to or from other states should be postponed. All businesses and offices within these locations should be fully closed during this period.”

Buhari said the restrictions do not apply to hospitals, Health care manufacturing Organisations, Healthcare distribution Organisations, food shops, petrol stations, Power generation, transmission distribution companies, Private security companies.

Ekohotblog understands that although these establishments are exempted and access will be restricted and monitored.

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Buhari further stated that “Telecommunication companies, broadcasters, print electronic media Staff who can prove they are unable to work from home are also exempted.”

Meanwhile, Lagos, a sprawling megacity of 20 million people, had already closed schools, shut non-food shops and restricted gatherings to limit movement.

Enforcing a total lockdown will be a mammoth challenge for the authorities in a country where tens of millions live in dire poverty and rely on their daily earnings to survive.

“We are fully aware that such measures will cause much hardship and inconvenience to many citizens. But this is a matter of life and death,” Buhari said.

He said the authorities would “deploy relief materials” to assist people in towns around Lagos and Abuja whose livelihoods were hit.

Two-months worth of welfare payments “for the most vulnerable in our society” would be transferred immediately, the leader said.

Recall the Lagos state governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday announced a programme to supply two weeks of basic foodstuffs to an initial 200,000 households in the city.