The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has banned all religious or social gathering of over 50 persons.
Malam Abubakar Sani, the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister
on Media and Strategic Communications, made this known on Friday in a
statement sent to DAILY POST.
According to Sani, this decision was reached after a meeting of the FCT administration and religious leaders.
The statement said that, “Based on the advice and guidance of public
health authorities, the Presidential Task Force for the Control of the
Novel Coronavirus (COVID 19), as well as the outcomes of the National
Economic Council meeting, held on Thursday, 19th of March 2020, the FCT
Administration held a meeting with religious leaders across the
Territory and reached the following decisions;
“Religious leaders and worshippers are enjoined to follow all laid
down health protocols as stipulated by the relevant health authorities
for the control of the Coronavirus disease while intensifying prayers
for the safety of all Nigerians;
“Congregations at places of worship are hereby restricted to a maximum of 50 persons at any given time;
“This measure also applies to social gatherings at event centers, football viewing centers and night clubs, amongst others;
“The essence of this restriction is to make the tracking of suspected cases, if any, easier for the health authorities;
“Residents are also enjoined not to engage in panic buying and always
seek for information about the disease from the FCT Public Health
Department and other agencies of government
“FCT Administration calls for the understanding and cooperation of all residents of the FCT.”