The minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammad Bello has placed restrictions on social and religious gatherings of people that exceed 50 in number.
The minister in a statement signed by his media aide, Abubakar Sani, said the restrictions were 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, March 19, 2020, and that the FCT Administration held a meeting with religious leaders across the Territory and reached the decisions.
Sani said, “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”.
He said, “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 he said, “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.”
