Coronavirus: President Buhari begs Nigerians to remain at home – The Liberator
President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to Nigerians to continue to stay at home in view of the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world.
President Buhari, in a statement on Saturday by his media aide, Garba Shehu, assured them of the federal government’s plan to provide more interventions to cushion the effects of the lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos, and Ogun States.
The President thanked all Nigerians for their patience, resolve and strong determination to defeat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.
He said:“We realize that today, there will be sons and daughters unable to visit their parents, and elders that are isolated from young ones. And there will be those who live day-to-day, eating as they earn, who face real and present suffering.
“No elected government could ask more of the citizens of the country that elected them than today we ask of you. But we must ask you – once more – to observe restrictions on movement where they are in place, and follow the instructions of our scientists and medical advisers: stay home, wash your hands, save lives.
“The freedoms we ask you to willingly forsake today will only last as long as our scientific advisers declare they are necessary. But they are essential – world over – to halt and defeat the spread of this virus.
“For those who suffer most egregiously, the Government has announced multiple measures to assist: 70,000 tonnes of grain is being released from the National Strategic Grain Reserves for distribution to those in most need; distribution of small cash payments are also being made, and will continue to be made by the federal government in the states and local government areas.
“We ask you to listen and follow public announcements via the mass media for instructions as to how to receive this government support – and learn of more public assistance in the coming days.
“All that the Government is asking you to endure is because nowhere in the world today is there any known way of defeating this pandemic. There is no vaccine. And that means there are choices to be made: between continuing as usual, or accepting the restrictions even when they come with unintended consequences.
“But at this darkest hour, it remains our duty to offer you the full and unvarnished truth: This is a global pandemic. 210 countries and territories across the globe are affected. We cannot expect others to come to our assistance. No one is coming to defeat this virus for us.
“Instead, the defeat of the virus in our country will be in our hands, alone. We cannot wait for others. We can only depend on ourselves now. And so we must – and we will – end this outbreak ourselves as Nigerians, together”.
President Buhari had on March 29, 2020 ordered the cessation of all movements in Lagos, FCT, and Ogun States for an initial period of 14 days with effect from 11pm, Monday, March 30, 2020 as part of measures to halt the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
President Buhari, who gave the order in a national broadcast, said the directive was issued based on the advice of the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The President, who said the restriction will also apply to Ogun State due to its close proximity to Lagos and the high traffic between the two States, urged all citizens in the affected areas to stay in their homes.
