Fayemi Orders Total Lockdown of Ekiti over COVID-19

Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has authorized major lockdown of the state as part of plans to curtail the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Governor who made this disclosure in a broadcast to residents of the state on Sunday, March 29, announced a total lockdown of the state state from 7pm to 7am daily for a 14-day period.

He also warned that anyone that violates the orders risk six- month jail term, while he directed total closure of all routes to the state, noting that from the midnight of Monday, all residents in the state must stay at home except those on special assignments.

He further said, no offices, businesses of any sort or places of worship are allowed to open.

The Governor further disclosed that, the new delevopment is necessary due the residents’ poor complaince with all the earlier directive to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

He said,

“In our collective interest and to further ensure the safety of Ekiti-kete, having declared Coronavirus (COVID- 19) an infectious disease in Ekiti State, I hereby, in pursuant to Section 8 of the Quarantine Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) impose a curfew of movement in Ekiti state.

The purpose of this curfew is to impose restrictions on the movement of persons and goods within Ekiti state for an initial period of fourteen days. This is in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Ekiti state.

Therefore, effective from 23H59 (11:59pm) on Monday, March 30, 2020 until 23H59 (11:59pm) on Monday, April 13, 2020, there shall be restriction of movement across the length and breadth of Ekiti State, with all our borders closed.

That is a full and total shutdown of Ekiti state, and a 12-hour dusk to dawn curfew in Ekiti State from 7:00pm – 7:00 am. All Ekiti residents are hereby directed to STAY – AT – HOME.

We are implementing the Quarantine Act to keep all Ekiti residents safe. So let me be clear. If you do not go home or stay home for at least fourteen (14) days as from Monday, 30 March, 2020, you could face serious fines or prison term.” 

It would be recalled that, Nigeria has recorded 97 positive cases since the Covid-19 outbreak while Ekiti state has confirmed 1 case.