Covid-19: Nigerian Government Lifts Curfew and Large Gatherings Restriction

Nigerian Government lifts curfew after imposing a nationwide curfew from 12 am to 4 am. Which took effect on the 10th of May, 2021. The government also ordered vast gathering restrictions like weddings, social functions, religious gatherings, and meetings in the nation to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Following a review of the country’s response to the pandemic, Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19, Boss Mustapha, announced the easing of restrictions.

The committee explained in a statement that the decision resulted from the reduced danger associated with new Covid-19 variants discovered, the availability of vaccines, and the increasing number of people getting vaccinated globally and in Nigeria.

The new guideline states ‌Nigerians can move from 12 am to 4 am without restrictions. They advised Nigerian citizens to refrain from non-essential travel, wear facemasks in crowded places, regularly use hand sanitizers, and expect people with underlying conditions to take extreme precautions.

Also, the PSC said there are no limitations on air travel, both domestic and international flights. But, inbound and outbound travelers need to follow all existing protocols and laid down rules to travel.

Is COVID-19 Over in Nigeria? 

Although the World Health Organization has acknowledged the declining number of Covid-19 cases globally, they insisted ‌it is far too early to declare victory over the pandemic.

Because the pandemic is still around and is likely to persist. Nonpharmaceutical interventions like social distancing and mask-wearing will probably remain in place. And even if vaccine uptake increases, there are fears ‌it could still take years before we can establish an effective response in large enough parts of the population to help us get back to normal. But for now, we still need to be cautious about our health and safety. 

The latest statistics released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), as of Thursday, 7th of April this year, show that Nigeria’s death rate remains at 3,142, while the confirmed cases now stand at 255,468.