Kaduna Governor, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has directed a partial lockdown in the state.
He said, all civil servants from Level 12 and below should remain at home for the next 30 days from Tuesday.
Governor El Rufai, in a state broadcast on Monday, directed that from Tuesday, markets should be partially open.
According to him: ‘’Only traders selling food and medicines are permitted to open their shops.”
El-Rufai, who said that the directive became necessary to prevent the spread of coronavirus, pointed out his government will not hesitate to enforce a total lockdown of the state if the need arises.
The Governor however said that workers providing essential services in the health, security and emergency sectors are exempted from this directive.
He decried that the government’s directive against large gatherings was flouted.
He however expressed gratitude to the religious leaders who complied with the directive.
El-Rufai further said that Government ‘’received reports of congregations in some churches and mosques as well as large crowds in weddings and other social activities.
‘’Over the weekend, we also sadly observed shocking levels of complacency as some people ignored their responsibility to uphold preventive measures.”
The Government has ‘’decided to move from advice to actual enforcement of its restrictions on large gatherings, especially in churches and mosques,” he said.
According to him: ‘’Security agencies have been directed to ensure compliance across the state.
“These agencies will also enforce compliance with the decision to close all schools, whether public or private, religious or secular, Islamiya or run by Christian missions.’’
El Rufai warned: ‘’The state government will not hesitate to impose a state wide curfew, should that become the only way to enforce compliance and make everyone understand the collective danger that we face.’’
The Governor also directed that markets will remain partially open as ‘’only traders selling food and medicines are permitted to open their shops, effective from Tuesday, 24th March 2020.’’
“This directive will be vigorously enforced by the security agencies and the Kaduna Markets Development and Management Company which will also ensure that all markets are fumigated, ” he added.

By AdulGafar Alabelewe