Nasarawa State Government has ordered the total lockdown of Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state, following the recent death of a state assembly lawmaker from the area due to coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.
Mr Dogo Shammah, Commissioner of Information, Culture and Tourism disclosed this to newsmen shortly after an expanded State Executive, Security and Traditional Council meeting on Tuesday in Lafia.
Shammah said the lockdown, as agreed by the council in session, would be for three days with effect from Wednesday, May 6, to Friday, May 8.
He explained that the lockdown was to enable the medical team of the state’s Taskforce on COVID-19 conduct proper contact tracing of those who might have had contact with late lawmaker, Alhaji Suleiman Adamu, representing Nasarawa Central Constituency.
“So far, from the reports we have gotten, not less than 70 contacts have been identified in Nasarawa local government area and there can be more,” he said.
Shammah said the council believed that the state health officials currently engaged in contact tracing in Nasarawa local government area would complete their assignment within the three days lockdown period.
The Commissioner also revealed that the state government had lifted the lockdown imposed on Karu local government area about a month ago.
He said the lockdown of Karu LGA had helped to check the spread of the virus to the area despite its dense population and proximity to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where over 290 cases of COVID-19 had been recorded.
He, however, said that the 8 p.m to 6 a.m curfew earlier imposed on state as well as the restriction on social and religious gatherings was still in force.
“The council in session also agreed that all social gatherings, be it religious or any other that was restricted in the state would still remain banned till further notice,” he said.
He therefore appealed to residents to continue to adhere strictly to all government’s directives aimed at curbing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
