COVID-19: FG imposes fresh curfew, ban nightclubs, restrict mass gatherings

The Federal Government has reintroduced restriction on mass gatherings including worship centres, ban nightclubs and a rollback of many of the lockdown measures imposed during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
The reintroduction of all the safety measures announced on Monday by the FG came following a spike in the new strains of COVID-19 cases being recorded in countries such as India, Brazil, Turkey and South Africa.
The Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 at its briefing on Monday announced the measures, adding that the immediate nationwide curfew would be observed from midnight to 4am daily.
The committee’s National Incident Manager, Mukhtar Mohammed, said event centres and non-essential public places such as nightclubs would remain closed till further notice.
Religious gatherings are to be limited to less than 50 per cent capacity to ensure physical distancing while social events such as weddings and parties are to be attended by not more than 50 persons.
The committee directed security personnel to enforce the measures while state governments to set up a mobile tribunal for the prosecution of violators.
Mohammed said, “The national response continues to focus on achieving a balance between preserving lives while working on a long-term epidemic control. Effective from 00:01 hours on Tuesday 11th of May 2022, this phase four of restriction of movement shall come into effect.
“We shall maintain restrictions on mass gatherings of sidewalk settings, with a maximum of about 50 people in an enclosed space. Approved gatherings must be held to the physical distancing measures, and other non-pharmaceutical interventions in place.
“We will continue to maintain restriction on reduction of work of government staff workers from GL-12 and below. We’ll also limited government meetings to virtual platforms as much as possible. While we maintaining restrictions on physical meetings, including official trips, oversight visits and board meetings.
“All recreational venues, gyms and indoor sports facilities are to close until 11 of June when the situation will be reviewed. Mass political gatherings, gatherings in the open, a large number of people are strictly to o adhere this COVID-19 protocol as issued by INEC.
“Event centres, nightclubs shall remain closed until further notice. Restaurants are to provide eat-in at 50 per cent capacity and provide takeaways where available.”
The incident manager also said there would no be restriction of movement within the country, adding, “Only essential travellers are encouraged, and both international and domestic travellers must abide by all existing protocols.”
The new measures come amid concerns over the surge in infections and resultant deaths particularly in Brazil, India and Turkey.
The FG had earlier announced that foreigners who recently visited the three countries would no longer be allowed to enter Nigeria.
It also reduced the validity period of the pre-boarding COVID-19 PCR test for all Nigeria-bound passengers from 96 to 72 hours.
In India, which has been the worst hit in recent weeks, 366,161 new infections and 3,754 deaths were reported on Monday, taking the country’s tally to 22.66 million with 246,116 deaths with hospitals being overwhelmed.
Nigeria has so far recorded 165,419 cases of the virus out of which 2,065 have died while 156,300 have been discharged.
In terms of vaccination against the disease, only 1.7 million shots had been administered as of Monday.