….Urges Muslims to suspend Durbar activities during Sallah
By Emma Ogbuehi
As part of preventive measures against the spread of virulent third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Federal Government has put six States and the Federal Capital Territory FCT on red alert.
The six states are Lagos, Oyo, Rivers, Kaduna, Kano and Plateau.
This is contained in a statement by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha on Sunday morning.
The government, he disclosed, took the measure following the confirmation of the Delta Variant of COVID-19 and the rising number of infections and hospitalisation in the country.
The statement further enjoined all States of the Federation to be on guard and continue to enforce all protocols put in place, to check the spread of the disease.
According to Mustapha, “These steps are critical as we begin to see worrisome early signs of increasing cases in Nigeria”.
He added that the Committee shall continue to minimize the risk of importation of Variants of Concern into the country by strengthening Surveillance at all Points of Entry (POE), enforcing extant quarantine protocols and sustaining the current restrictive measures against travellers arriving from India, Brazil, Turkey and South Africa.
While felicitating with the Muslim faithful on the occasion of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, PSC urged all state governments and religious leaders to be mindful of the potential for the wider spread of the virus during large gatherings.
The PSC, therefore, recommended the following preventive measures for a safe Eid-el-Kabir celebration: Decentralization of Eid Prayer to neighbourhood Friday Prayer Mosques (outdoor); Suspension of Durbar activities; and observation of limitations on all Indoor gatherings.