FG Announces Total Lockdown of Lagos Mainland, 16 Other Councils Nationwide

The Nigerian government has said it would slam precision lockdown on 18 local government areas across the country where 60 per cent of COVID-19 cases have been found. Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, said this on Monday at a news conference after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari at the end of the four-week gradual easing of lockdown.

He said the state government and local authorities, where the councils are located, will administer the lockdown. “For the precision lockdown, we have identified 18 local governments out of the 774 local government that are considered to be high burden with this infection and they account for 60 per cent of 24, 077 infections.“

The reason for the precision lockdown is to place specific measures that will be administered by state governments and local authorities. “It is not for the federal government, it’s the responsibilities of states and local authorities.” According to the report, Lagos, which remains the epicenter of COVID-19 in Nigeria, has 11 out of the top 20 local government areas with confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The NCDC record shows that Lagos Mainland council has the highest number (1,274) of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria.

Other local government areas in the state with high cases of COVID-19 are; Mushin (458), Eti-Osa (403), Alimosho (239), Kosofe (175), Ikeja (168), Oshodi/Isolo (132), Apapa (131), Amuwo Odofin (129), Lagos Island (111) and Surulere (110). In the FCT, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) had 536 cases to make the top 20 list while Tarauni in Kano State had 248.Other top councils are; Katsina local government area in Katsina State (242), Maiduguri local government area in Borno State (167), Dutse local government area in Jigawa State (170), Nassarawa local government area in Kano state (152), Oredo in Edo State (126), Bauchi local government area in Bauchi State (114), and Ado Odo/Ota in Ogun State (107).