Nasarawa state governor, Abdullahi Sule, has imposed a 24-hour curfew in Karu Local Government Area and 10-hour curfew in other areas of the state for the next 14 days as part of measures to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Daily Trust reports that Karu, which is in Nasarawa state, shares boundary with the nation’s Federal Capital Territory.
The curfew, according to the governor, will take effect from 6:00pm of Thursday, 2nd April, 2020.
He disclosed this on Wednesday evening while addressing newsmen in Lafia.
“With effect from 6:00pm of Thursday, 2nd April, 2020 for 14 days, all markets across the state are to remain closed,” the governor said.
According to him, this is particularly necessary considering the influx of people from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja which has been locked down as part of measures to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
He said, “it is for this reason and in line with the provision of the Nasarawa State Dangerous Infectious Diseases (Emergency Prevention) Regulations, 2020, as well as the advice of the Nasarawa State High Powered Committee on COVID-19, the following measures come into immediate effect:
“Entry into Nasarawa state is hereby restricted to between 6:00pm to 6:00am and all persons coming into the State shall continue to be screened at the designated check-points/mobile clinics.”
He added that movement in Lafia, the state capital and other urban centres in the state are hereby restricted from 8:00pm to 6:00am with effect from Thursday, 2nd April, 2020.
The governor said that all markets are to remain closed except sellers of food items and pharmacies outside the markets excluding Karu Local Government Area where there is a 24-hour curfew.
He called on the people of the State to continue to maintain the ‘social distancing’ directive of the Federal Government and other measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
He said that all civil servants from Grade Level 01 to 12 are to remain at home except those on essential services until further notice.
Governor Sule said a Palliative Committee has been constituted to ensure that the citizens of the State are provided with necessary succour during this trying moment.