President Muhammadu Buhari has urged security agencies to deploy tact while enforcing the lockdown directive in Lagos and Ogun states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Buhari had on March 29 ordered the lockdown in the three locations for an initial period of 14 days to tackle the spread of the coronavirus in the country, while some other states have followed suit.
The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, who spoke during a live briefing of the task force in Abuja on Friday, stated that reports indicated that there was a high level of compliance with the lockdown order.
Mustapha, who is also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said the Federal Government had ramped up its synergy with the state governments through video conferencing communication and the platform of the governors’ forum.
The SGF added, “The PTF finds it very necessary to appeal to our law enforcement agencies to deploy tact and caution in the course of enforcing the rules even in the face of provocation.
“We similarly appeal to all Nigerians to be law-abiding, exercise patience and self-restraint. The message from Mr President is that no Nigerian should, on account of these rules, suffer any harm or pains during this period or any other time in our national life.
On Thursday, a man was shot dead for allegedly flouting a stay-at-home order aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus.
Joseph Pessu, a resident of the oil city of Warri in the southern state of Delta, was killed by a soldier deployed to enforce the lockdown.
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator in the fight against COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu, has said he and other members of the Presidential Task Force will on Saturday morning meet with states to address issues arising from the lockdown.
Meanwhile, the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Kaduna State, Babangida Dustinma, on Friday, warned personnel enforcing the 24-hour curfew in the state to desist from brutalising residents.
