COVID-19: Youth task force advises FG to lockdown Abuja again


The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) youth task force on COVID-19 has advised the federal government to lockdown Abuja, again to curtail further spread of the COVID-19.
Chairman of the task force, Mr. Ango Suleiman, gave the advice at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said that the advice had become necessary following the number of deaths so far recorded, while infectious cases had been on the increase on daily basis.
Suleiman said it had become obligatory for federal government to do the best for the people, not minding public opinion on the ease of the measures earlier put in place to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him, if those happy about the easing of lockdown will not rescind their stand and request the government to reverse to the status quo on the measures.
“The same people demanding for the ease of lockdown may come back to criticise and condemn the action of government when things go wrong. Therefore, the only option is doing whatever is best for the people,” he said.
He noted that the law -enforcement agencies in Abuja, were becoming overwhelmed and gradually losing control of the people as a result of the lifting of lockdown which could lead to rapid spread of COVID-19 in the territory.
The chairman expressed the fear that if urgent steps were not taken to regulate movement in the territory, the aim of arresting the virus might be a mirage.
The youth leader emphasised that even though the demand for the ease of lockdown was loud and overwhelming, it was never a good decision, considering the influx of people into the city.
He cited massive gathering in banks and checkpoints as well as public disobedience in observing safety measures to buttress his point, asserting that the repercussion of early lifting of the lockdown around the world were lesson to learn “as our peculiarity can never be an excuse for our carelessness.”
Contributing, the spokesperson of FCT Natives, Mr Inusa Yusuf, called on banks to open all their branches locked up during the lockdown instead of opening few branches.