Sallah celebration forces FG to extend phase two of eased lockdown by one week

The upcoming Sallah (Eid El-Kabir) festivities which coincides with the expiration of the current phase of eased lockdown has forced the Federal Government to extend by one week, from 29th July to August 6th.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF), Boss Mustapha, made the disclosure at Monday’s briefing in Abuja.

He said: “We informed you two weeks ago that the process of submitting the 6th Interim Report and recommendations for next steps had commenced. The PTF has reached advanced stages of the process. It has also considered that due to the upcoming Sallah (Eid El-Kabir) festivities which coincides with the expiration of the current phase, it would be prudent to extend by one week, from 29th July, 2020 till Thursday 6th August, 2020. It has accordingly secured permission to retain the existing guidelines till that date.”

He appealed to Islamic faithfuls and Nigerians as a whole to continue to observe all measures during the Eid El-Kabir celebration.

He said: “We note with delight, the increasing number of States that have shelved activities during the Eid-el-kabir and we still urge others yet to do so, to follow suit. WHO has also issued Safe Eid practices in the context of COVID-19 and I urge us all to access and disseminate.

“Similarly, the PTF appreciates the Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), who has always been a great champion in the fight against the pandemic for advising Muslims to avoid massive gatherings at Eid grounds and pray at Area Mosques under prescribed protocols.”

The PTF chairman regretted that continuous evaluation of COVID-19 developments as well as the level of compliance nationwide revealed that “majority of Nigerians irrespective of status, creed and level of education continue to live in denial on the virulent nature of the virus and consistently breach the  guidelines and non-pharmaceutical measures put in place.”

Mustapha restated that COVID-19 remains very virulent and very dangerous.

He reeled out current statistics show the following: Global Cases Recorded:16,380,397 cases from 215 countries, Global Deaths: 651,198, Global Recoveries:10,093,403.

Africa: – Cases:   848,771, Deaths 17,791 and Recoveries: 495,660.

Nigeria: – Cases: 40,532, Deaths: 858 and Recoveries: 17,374.