Onimisi Alao, Yola
The Adamawa State government has placed the state on lockdown for another period of 14 days.
The lockdown began midnight on Friday and would end midnight of Friday, May 8, according to a statement from the government.
The statement, released yesterday by Mr Solomon Kumangar, the Director General of Media and Communications in the Government House, said the lockdown was informed by the first COVID-19 index case recorded in the state through a returnee from Kano.
The index case had been confirmed on Wednesday, April 22, following which Governor Ahmadu Fintiri addressed the state and asked the people to prepare for a fresh lockdown.
The governor had earlier imposed a lockdown, but relaxed it after two weeks when the state was yet to have any case.
Kumangar said the state government was left with no option than to go for lockdown after the index case “in the overall interest of saving lives and to contain the spread.”
He said the government had commenced contact tracing and testing which will be followed by isolation and treatment of positive cases.
“Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri appeals for the cooperation and understanding of the people, insisting that despite the hardship this will entail, there is no alternative to the latest lockdown, in view of the fact that COVID-19 which has no cure, is spreading like a wild fire in the dry season,” Kumangar stated.
He said movement and gatherings in whatever form are prohibited throughout the period, except for those on essential duty such as security, media, health and Water Board personnel, while financial institutions like banks will operate skeletal services.
“Government will not allow the irresponsibility of a few to lead to the death of many. Citizens are advised to embrace the rudiments of basic hygiene like regular hand washing with soap, sanitizers where obtainable, social distancing and use of face masks”, Kumangar said.
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