The Lagos State Government on Tuesday ,has suspended indefinitely the planned reopening of mosques and churches on Friday, June 19 and Sunday, June 21 respectively.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who announced the decision at a press briefing said the development became necessary as a result of the rising cases of COVID-19 in the state.
The governor explained that this is as a result of the rising cases of the coronavirus pandemic in the state which has been the epicentre of the virus in the country.
Lagos is the epicentre of the highly infectious disease in Nigeria with 7,319 cases, 43.9% of the country’s total of 16,658.
On Monday, Nigeria recorded 573 new coronavirus infections, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 16,658.
Of the new infections, Lagos reported the highest figures with 216 new cases, bringing the total number of cases in the state 7,319.
Consequently, the state has remained the epicentre of infections in the country, closely followed by the FCT with 1,264 and Kano state with 1,158.
To curb further spread of the virus, the Federal Government had in March, imposed a lockdown on the three majorly affected states at the time (Lagos, Ogun State and the FCT).
Subsequently, other states began to impose varying degrees of curfews and governors eventually agreed on interstate lockdowns as they began to record new infections.
But weeks after the federal government-imposed lockdown, President Muhammadu Buhari announced again that there would be a gradual easing of the lockdown in order to allow economic activities resume as the country could not sustain an extended period of economic inactivity.
While essential workers and other levels of workers have been allowed to resume so far, the government has still appealed to those who can afford to stay at home, to do so.
