Niger State Government has relaxed the restriction of movement imposed in the State from 2:00pm to 10.00pm beginning from Sunday, 5th April, 2020.
This was disclosed at a Media briefing, by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG and Chairman State Action Committe on COVID-19, Ahmed Ibrahim Matane.
According to the directives Markets are now to open from 8:00am to 2:00pm to enable people buy food stuff and other essentials while the intra and inter State movement of people and vehicles remain banned.
Matane also announced that the State Civil Servants on Grade Level 1 – 12, earlier directed to stay at home as part of measures to curb the spread of the disease, are now to resume work on Monday, 6th April, 2020, from 8.00am to 2.00pm.
While debunking insinuations going round that the State government has banned ‘call to Prayers’, the Secretary to the State Government advised the people to shun rumour mongering, adding that the State is yet to record any case of COVID-19.
He stated that persons who fail to comply with the restriction of movement and other prohibition order imposed by the Niger State Government shall be liable to a fine or imprisonment or both in accordance with the extant laws.
Matane said the new measure became necessary following the gross disrespect for the appeals and directives on social distancing and social gatherings by the people as the only precautionary measures against the spread of Coronavirus.
According to the Committee Chairman, it became imperative to go beyond appeals and directives to contain the spread of the highly infectious disease in order to avoid an impending health and economic calamity of unimaginable proportion in the State.
Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane said the Governor decided to invoke the Niger State COVID-19 Order 2020, conferred on him by all the relevant portions of the law and the Constitution for the collective good, safety, security and public health of the people.
Meanwhile, all Local Government Areas sharing border with neighbouring States have been directed to ensure effective monitoring of people and vehicles coming into the local government as all entry points to the State remain closed except those on essential services.
