TheCable

The federal government may be considering locking down the 18 local government areas (LGAs) with the highest cases of COVID-19. 

Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF) and chairman of the presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19, gave the hint after the PTF briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday.

The government had in March locked down the federal capital territory (FCT), Lagos and Ogun state, but this was eased in May.

The lockdown, the SGF said would be implemented by the government of the states where the 18 LGAs are.

The LGAs the federal government is considering to lock down are among these ones:

• Lagos – Lagos Mainland LG
• Abuja – Abuja Municipal
• Lagos – Mushin
• Lagos – Eti-Osa
• Kano – Tarauni
• Katsina – Katsina
• Lagos – Alimosho
• Borno – Maiduguri
• Lagos – Kosofe
• Jigawa – Dutse
• Lagos – Ikeja
• Kano – Nassarawa
• Lagos – Oshodi/Isolo
• Lagos – Apapa
• Lagos – Amuwo Odofin
• Edo – Oredo
• Bauchi – Bauchi
• Lagos – Lagos Island
• Lagos – Surulere
• Ogun – Ado Odo/Ota

According to Mustapha, Nigeria has not reached its peak and with 39 molecular labs, warning that the number of infections will continue to rise. 

While urging state governors to drive the process, the SGF also asked all local authorities, including religious and traditional leaders, to ensure compliance to non pharmaceutical interventions.

On the low mortality rate in the country, the SGF said 80 percent of the infections were in the age bracket of 31 to 40 years, which he described as a very active part of the population. 

Mustapha, however, said that the PTF was worried about the remaining 20 percent as he said nobody knows who may become victims among them. 

He added that everything was being done to protect the vulnerable such as the elderly and those with underlying illnesses.

Some of the states with the highest number of cases are Lagos, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Bauchi, Borno, Edo, Ogun and the FCT.