Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Sunday, extended the lockdown being enforced in the state for another 30 days.
The governor through his Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye, said the latest order, was effective from Sunday, April 26, 2020.
“With Covid-19 cases rising rapidly in neighbouring states and the FCT, and with strong evidence of interstate travel being a major means of spreading the virus, the Standing Committee’s evaluation is that measures to protect Kaduna State residents require further strengthening and more vigorous enforcement,” El-Rufai said.
The governor added that the two-day window during which the restriction of movement was relaxed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays had been reduced to only one day.
“Henceforth, only Wednesdays will be lockdown-free, until the trajectory of Covid-19 infections becomes clearer,’’ he added.
He also warned that “all persons that venture out of their homes for whatever reason must wear face masks and observe social distancing everywhere they go, in markets and in authorised vehicles.”
The governor maintained that all residents of Kaduna State were quarantined and must stay at home, adding that “no office, event centre, market, shop or business of any sort or place of worship is allowed to open.”
He added, “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.”