COVID-19: Buhari may extend lockdown — Boss Mustapha 

The presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has said only President Muhammadu Buhari can decide if the lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, over the Coronavirus pandemic will be extended or not depending on expert advice.

Buhari had, a week ago, ordered a total lockdown of Lagos, Ogun and the FCT for 14 days in the first instance, to checkmate the spread of Coronavirus.

Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation and chairman, Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, made the remarks on Tuesday, while briefing state House Correspondents in Lagos House, Marina, after an inspection of isolation facilities in different parts of the state.

The task force, accompanied by. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State governor,  had earlier inspected isolation facilities at Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos Island; Mainland Infectious Disease Hospital, IDH, Yaba; Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi-Araba and Gbagada General Hospital, Isolation Centre, Gbagada.

Also in the entourage was Alhaji Lai Mohammed, minister for information and culture;  minister of health,  Osagie Ehanire, and minister of Interior Affairs, Rauf Aregbesola, among other key government functionaries.

Mustapha said: “Basically, this is part of the consultation we are looking at the objectives that were set when the Lockdown and Quarantine Declaration 2020 was signed by the President and subsequently by other state. “Before the end of the week, we will do an evaluation and see how the objectives that were set are being met.

“At the end of that exercise, we will have the responsibility of reporting back to Mr. President. The President did say the declaration was on the advice of Minister of Health.”