Pascal Oparada
The threat of more Coronavirus outbreak seems to have fallen on deaf ears in Nigeria, a country of more than 200 million people as more and more people are seen coming out in contravention of the stay at home directives of the government.
On March 30, Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, announced a 14-day lockdown in three states – Lagos, Abuja and Ogun.
According to the president, the measure is aimed at stemming the tide of more Coronavirus infections in these areas.
Lagos State is the epicentre of the disease in Nigeria with close to 200 cases and counting.
There are over 300 cases in the country already as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says they are swarmed by calls from people seeking to be tested for the virus. Meaning more cases could be reported in the days ahead.
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Before the announcement by the President, the state governor, Babajide Sanw-Olu has announced a partial lockdown measures in the state.
He announced a 7-day lockdown for markets and banned the gathering of more than 50 people. Religious centres were asked to close shop for the time being to avoid the spread of the virus ravaging parts of the world.
One week into the lockdown, residents of the affected states are fed up with the stay at home order and social distancing directives.
Hordes of people were seen at various parts of Lagos, Abuja and Ogun states in defiance of the order.
According to them, the lockdown was not properly thought out as there are no proper palliative measures put in place by the government to cushion the effect of the lockdown.
Those interviewed expressed worry that if they continue to stay at home without anything to eat, the situation would get dire.
A petty trader, Lukmon Aluko, said that unless the government provides proper palliative for them, more and more people would defy the order to go and fend for themselves.
“How do you expect us to stay indoors in empty stomachs? I came out to look for what my family would eat. The government isn’t catering for us if we stay at home, ” Aluko told this reporter.
But the federal government said it has disbursed over N5 billion to the poorest of the poor in the country.
The Lagos State government released food items for residents of the state but cases of fraud and insufficient items have marred the exercise.
On Tuesday, there were reported cases of clashes between the police and law enforcement agencies in Kaduna State, the country’s north-central.
Last week there were reports of clashes between soldiers and residents in Delta State. The clashes claimed the lives of a soldier and a resident.
On Monday and Tuesday, hundreds of Lagos residents were seen outdoors in Ikorodu and Gbagada areas in outright contravention of the social distancing order.
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On Sunday, a popular actress, Funke Akindele-Bello and her husband, Abdulrasheem Bello were arrested for holding a birthday party in Lagos.
The couple were arraigned and sentenced to 14-day community service and N100,000 fine. Many said it as a slap on the wrist and advocated for stricter measures against offenders.
The country’s information minister warned that unless people behaved themselves, the federal government may extend the lockdown. He echoed Sanwo-Olu’s words, warning Lagos residents that the lockdown may be extended as people keep flouting the directives.
On Monday and Tuesday, there were reports of heavy vehicular and human traffic in parts of Lagos.
Health care experts have warned that the country’s fragile healthcare system may buckle under the Coronavirus infections if more people test positive to COVID-19.
