Three-Day Lockdown Imposed On Nasarawa LGA
The Nasarawa State Government has declared a total lockdown of Nasarawa Local Government Area of the State.
This was disclosed to pressmen after an expanded security council meeting which held this afternoon (May 5, 2020) at the Nasarawa State Government House, Shendam Road, Lafia.
According to the State Government, the lockdown is to enable health officials trace the contacts of the recently deceased lawmaker representing Nasarawa Central at the State House of Assembly, Honourable Suleiman Adamu who died of the COVID-19.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, the Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage (Rtd) said the council were following the advice received from experts who said a three-day lockdown will be required to conduct contact tracing in the entire Local Government Area.
He said: “So far from reports, not less that 70 contacts already have been identified and isolated in Nasarawa Local Government. And there could be more. Now, because of the fear that if left, there could be disaster because of the circumstance of the death, the burial rites and thereafter the amount of contacts that happened, associated with the demise of the late Honourable Member of the Assembly, Nasarawa Local Government – I think beginning from tomorrow – is going on a total lockdown for 3 days.
“After that time, further directives will be given by the State Government with respect to other places that are suspected also to have been affected. Because the Honourable Member was at the Federal Medical Centre Keffi. And that is where unfortunately he had passed on. And there could be cases of contacts that might have had interactions with the late Honourable Member.
“Lafia itself may not be totally spared because before the ailment that put him down, he was in the Assembly here and very much interacted with his colleagues. And those of them he associated with at the Assembly from staff, to all the people that had business with him.
“And the other related cases also in Lafia and so on and so forth. Those places that those suspects are, for now the position is that there will be more intensive efforts by the health officials until a final decision is taken with respect to that.
“The only Local Government that is now truly affected is Nasarawa Local Government for the lockdown.”
Also speaking at the briefing, the Nasarawa State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana also spoke on the lockdown in Nasarawa Local Government Area and revealed that the lockdown in Karu Local Government has been relaxed. Consequently, Karu Local Government Area will now be under the same restrictions as the other parts of the State save Nasarawa LGA.
The press briefing was also attended by the Nasarawa State Commissioner for Police, Bola Longe, Commissioner for Information, Dogo Shammah and the State Commissioner for Health, Ahmed Yahaya. The Chairman of Karu Local Government Area, Honourable Samuel Akala was also present.
