A lot of people have misunderstood the lockdown extension period, this is a little break down of the lockdown as said by his Excellency during his speech.
The lock has been relaxed from Thursday 16th April, 2020 to Sunday 20th April, 2020 and will continue for the next 4 days ending 23rd April, 2020.
The lockdown is not for the next two weeks (14 days) as going round the social media rather 4days total lockdown to meet the medical stipulated quarantine period of 14 days
Read Speech Below:
From the one week total lockdown, we have learnt many lessons that will guide our next steps. One of the biggest lessons is the fact that we cannot quarantine hunger. Therefore, Government has taken the following decisions going forward.
i. The total lockdown has been extended to 12 midnight of Thursday 23rd April 2020 to meet the medically stipulated quarantine period of 14 days.
ii. However, beginning from 11pm tonight, Wednesday 15th April 2020, to 12 midnight of Sunday 19th April 2020, the total lockdown will be relaxed to enable people go out to restock their homes.
iii. By implication, the earlier restriction prior to the total lockdown remain. For the avoidance of doubt, all other markets remain closed except those selling food items, pharmaceuticals and cooking gas. In addition, all illegal street trading, street hawking, and begging are prohibited. The illegal Sunday markets on Ahmadu Bello Way, Bukuru and environs remain banned. Social joints, Nightclubs, drinking parlours are to remain closed, while restaurants are advised to prepare take away for their customers to avoid crowding.
iv. Motor parks are to capture and keep data including contacts of all inbound and outbound passengers as well as adhere strictly to social distancing and mass gathering prohibition order as well as hygiene regulations.
v. Vehicles (Keke Napep, Cars and Buses) are to abide by restriction on the number of passenger to carry, which have been spelled out as 1, 4 and 6 respectively.
vi. Places of worship are to strictly adhere to the 50 persons provision, while maintaining social distancing and hygiene regulations. The ban on all anniversaries and cultural festivals remains in force.
vii. All entry and exit borders into the State will remain closed with greater reinforcement and CCTV surveillance to ensure total compliance.
viii. Anybody who violates this border closure and comes into Plateau will be arrested, prosecuted and quarantined for 14 days until it is confirmed that he/she is free of the disease.
ix. Farmers, particularly in the rural areas are exempted from the restrictions, as they are required to go to their farms now that the rains have started. However, they are to observe all guidelines for social distancing and hygiene.
x. In addition to the exemption of essential workers earlier announced, producers of food such as bread, water and beverages are also exempted.
xi. The mobile courts are to remain in place to try violators of Government directives.
xii. To address cases of sharp practices, human rights violations and compromise by some security personnel, Government has set up a high-powered Independent Intelligence Monitoring Team, which will report directly to me.
