The Federal Government of Nigeria has shut down three international airports in the country as part of its strategic measures to curb the spread of coronavirus across the country.
In a statement signed by the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt. Musa Nuhu, he said, the three airports would be closed till further notice effective Saturday, March 21.
The three airports shut are; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu; and the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa.
However, he said the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja and the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos would still be opened but no flight operations will be allowed from the thirteen COVID-19 (Coronavirus) high-risk countries.
The Federal Ministry of Education is closing all tertiary, secondary and primary schools nationwide over the outbreak of the coronavirus in the country.
The ministry said it is part of measures to contain the spread of the virus.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Sunny Echono, confirmed this to newsmen yesterday night. He did not, however, clarify whether schools were closing Thursday or Friday or next week.
When asked for dates and the duration of the closure, Mr Echono said details would be sent out on Friday.
“We will send a press release out tomorrow, thank you,” he said.
The ministry is also ordering the closure of all the 104 Unity Schools in the country from March 26 as a proactive step to prevent the spread of the dreaded coronavirus.
Coronavirus cases have been recorded in about 140 countries and more than 200, 000 persons have been infected, with thousands dead.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on March 11, 2020, declared Covid-19 a pandemic and since then, the spread has worsened and more deaths have occurred.
The spread of the disease has also led to countries locking in millions of their citizens, closing social spaces, locking down entire regions and shutting their doors against travellers from other countries.
Nigeria now has 12 positive cases of Coronavirus – 11 in Lagos and one in Ekiti. However, one has tested positive and has been discharged.
Abayomi said, “If you recall, we had five new cases Wednesday. A mother and child who travelled from the US into Lagos, a gentleman that travelled to Lagos from London, and an American citizen that crossed the Nigeria/Benin border into Nigeria, all the four of them tested positive and have been admitted at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba.
“They are all doing well under isolation. That was in addition to our index case, the Italian gentleman, the second case has tested negative and has returned to Ogun State, and the lady that travelled from the UK was our third case.
“The index case has now cleared the virus, we will check him one more time, if he is negative, he will be discharged.
“Wednesday, we performed 19 tests on suspected cases and contacts of the new cases that were admitted on Tuesday. Out of those 19 tests, we have four new positives.
“The first new positive is a contact of the third case that came from the UK, she has tested positive and will be admitted shortly. We have a new case, a female Nigerian, returning from France via Istanbul on Turkish Airlines TK 1830 on March 14.
“We have a third case – Nigerian male, in his 50s. He has never travelled anywhere and he presented symptoms, he was referred to us, we want to retrieve samples and it tested positive. He has since been admitted into our facility.
“The fourth case is a Nigerian male, he arrived on March 13 from Frankfurt via Lufthansa Flight no LH568. We are currently running more tests on suspected cases and contacts of our confirmed cases. It is clear that we have a combination of imported cases and local transmission.”
Abayomi also said that the Italian who brought Coronavirus to Nigeria has now tested negative.
He said this at a press conference, yesterday.
According to him, the Italian will be tested one more time and will be released if he tests negative again.
Coronavirus was first recorded in Nigeria on February 27 when the Italian businessman, who was on a visit to Lafarge Africa Plc, Ewekoro, Ogun State, was diagnosed with the disease and taken to Lagos State.
The second Coronavirus case was a Nigerian, who had contact with the Italian and was isolated in Ogun State.
Although he tested positive twice, subsequent tests were negative.
Reacting to the escalating situation, the Lagos State University (LASU), yesterday, postponed its 24th convocation slated for next week.
A statement issued by the Coordinator, Centre for Information, Press and Public Relations, Mr. Ademola Adekoya, said the convocation has been postponed indefinitely.
In a related development, six states and the FCT have odered the closure of schools and banned public gatherings.
The Ogun State Government, yesterday, said it has extended the ban of all high-density gatherings to school and worship centres in the state.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kunle Somorin, disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen in Abeokuta.
He stated that the ban on high-density gatherings affected all schools – public and private – as well as all religious activities in the state.
The statement read in part, “Consequently, all schools in the state will remain closed indefinitely after school hours on Friday, March 20, 2020.
“Governor Dapo Abiodun pleads for the understanding of parents, school owners and the entire citizenry to comply fully with all laid down measures and for them to offer useful information for the state to respond appropriately to the COVID-19 challenge.”
Also, the Niger State Government has directed the closure of public and private schools as well as tertiary institutions across the state from Monday, March 23, 2020.
A statement issued, yesterday by the Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Matane, stated that all public gatherings have also been suspended by the state government.
Matane said, “The closure of the public, private schools, and tertiary institutions is for the period of 30 days, including the suspension of all public gathering.
He called on the people of the state to always uphold the highest degree of personal hygiene, remain calm and adhere strictly to all safety measures earlier announced by the state Ministry of Health.
As part of global efforts in combating the spread of Coronavirus, Kwara State has announced the closure of schools.
The decision was announced by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq via his Twitter handle.
Also, the closure of schools in Kwara State will take effect from Monday, March 23.
“As part of efforts to contain the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, schools in Kwara will be shut down from Monday, March 23.
“We urge everyone to maintain the highest level of hygiene and to remain calm and adhere to all safety measures as announced by the Kwara State Ministry of Health and other national bodies,” the notice reads.
Schools in Lagos as well as North-West and North-Central states will also be closed for some time to curb the spread of the disease.
In Anambra, the state government has banned all public gatherings and ordered tertiary institutions to go on compulsory vacation.
According to a statement, yesterday, and signed by the state Governor, Willie Obiano, the ban on public gatherings will commence from Monday, March 23, while closure of tertiary institutions will commence March 20, 2020.
Obiano said: “Primary and secondary schools are mandated to go on compulsory break from March 27, 2020 while inter-house sports competitions are suspended till further notice.
In Benue, the state government also ordered closure of all schools from Friday as part of measures to protect the state from Coronavirus pandemic.
Briefing journalists after the State Executive Council Meeting, yesterday, Commissioner for Education, Prof Dennis Ityavyar, said all schools in the state had been directed to conclude examinations on or before March 27 and proceed on holiday.
The commissioner urged schools to ensure that physical contact is restricted before the end of the examinations.
In Enugu, the state government, yesterday, directed closure of public and private primary and secondary schools in the state beginning from March 27.
In a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Simon Ortuanya, which was made available to newsmen in Enugu, yesterday, the state government ordered that all activities in various schools should be concluded by the teachers before shutting down on or before Friday, March 27.
“The state government further enjoined teachers and students to continue to observe the School Water Sanitization and Hygiene Programme (WASH) operative in the state as well as other standard personal hygiene protocol for prevention of COVID-19 infection,” the state added.
In the nation’s capital, Abuja, the Federal Capital Administration (FCTA) ordered the closure of schools in the FCT effective, today.
The move may not be unconnected with the recent confirmation of 12 cases of Coronavirus in Nigeria and ongoing rumours of the virus in the FCT.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Special Assistant to the FCT Minister of State, Mr Austine Elemue, yesterday