TheCable

Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, has ordered a lockdown of the state for seven days beginning from Thursday as part of efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The governor made the announcement during a meeting with Islamic scholars.

“Following the outbreak of this disease, COVID-19 in Kano and the subsequent cases we recorded, Kano Government has resolved to lockdown the state for a duration of seven days starting from Thursday 16th April,” he said.

“We want to however call on the scholars that Kano residents should start purchasing food stuff, as that would help curtail the spread of the disease in the state. The lockdown would start at 10pm, no more markets, no more gatherings and mosques.”

The state recorded a fresh coronavirus case on Tuesday, bringing the total number of patients in Kano to four.

Ganduje’s decision to restrict movement in Kano is coming a day after northern governors said they could not lock down the region because doing so will come at a high cost.

The governors said most of the people resident in their states are farmers and would not to go to the farms since the raining season has started.

While they resolved to strengthen preventive measures through enhanced boundary controls and surveillance, they pledged “greater” collaboration to ensure that there is synergy among them in the fight against COVID-19.