Lockdown
President Muhammadu Buhari has informed Nigerians that ending the lockdown order currently enforced in the country is not in his hands. In a recently released statement, the president stressed that only the medical practitioners can tell when the lockdown order can be relaxed.
“No elected government could ask more of the citizens of the country that elected them than what we today ask of you.
But we must ask you – once more – to observe restrictions on movement where they are in place, and follow the instructions of our scientists and medical advisers: stay home, wash your hands, save lives.
The freedoms we ask you to willingly forsake today will only last as long as our scientific advisers declare they are necessary. But they are essential – world over – to halt and defeat the spread of this virus.”
According to the President, the need for Nigerians to pay the price of staying at home, considering the peculiarity of the Coronavirus pandemic.
“We ask you to listen and follow public announcements via the mass media for instructions as to how to receive this government support – and learn of more public assistance in the coming days.
All that the Government is asking you to endure is because nowhere in the world today is there any known way of defeating this pandemic.
There is no vaccine. And that means there are choices to be made: between continuing as usual, or accepting the restrictions even when they come with unintended consequences.”
Considering the hardship faced by Nigerians who have been forced to remain in their homes, President Buhari highlighted government’s plan to ease the pains of hunger.
“For those who suffer most egregiously, the Government has announced multiple measures to assist: 70,000 tonnes of grain is being released from the National Strategic Grain Reserves for distribution to those in most need; distribution of small cash payments are also being made, and will continue to be made by the federal government in the states and local government areas. “
Many Nigerians have called for an end to the lockdown order, stressing that they could be killed by poverty and starvation even of they survive the Coronavirus pandemic.