In just few hours to the lockdown as announced by President Muhammad Buhari, residents of Ogun State are not leaving any stone unturned to ensure their well-being during the 14-day period.
DAILY POST reports that Ogun residents early on Monday morning thronged all markets, supermarkets, and shops in the state to stock up their houses with foodstuff and other essential household items.
Our correspondent, who went round, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, reports that there was panic buying of food items and this resulted to hike in prices of commodities.
Prices of foodstuff reached a ‘rooftop’ in Abeokuta as traders made brisk business, by extorting customers who they know were in dire need of their wares.
At all Automated Teller Machine (ATM), there were long queues as people were all out to make cash withdrawal.
All the banks in Okelewo, Isale-Igbein, Ibara, Panseke, Sapon, Obantoko, Kuto and others turned a Mecca of sort.
Security guards had a hectic day screening people into the banking hall to avoid having more than the required number of persons directed by the government.
A customer, Olamide Adelakun said many people were in the bank because they had information that the ATM would not be available for cash withdrawals in the state for the next 14 days.
In Abeokuta today, commuting from one place to another was not a smooth experience as drivers had to slug it out with other vehicles to make a headway in the midst of gridlock.
With too many vehicles on the road, people wasted time getting to their destination, even as they struggle to get things done before banks, supermarkets and other offices close for the day.
DAILY POST reports that President Muhammadu on Sunday ordered total lockdown of Ogun, Lagos and Abuja, to contain the spread of Coronavirus.
But some residents of Ogun said the government was supposed to provide relief packages for them before locking down their businesses.
“Most of us depend solely on what we earn daily to feed our families. Now that they said we should not come out for 14 days, what are we going to eat? Why can’t Buhari give us something to cushion the effect of this lockdown?”, Jamiu Sorinola, a taxi driver told our correspondent.
A trader, who identified herself simply as Mrs Sharon, blamed politicians for the spread of Coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria.
Mrs Sharon said, “If the government had closed the boarders since the discovery of the Italian index, the cases would not have been as high as it is, saying, “politicians are the ones bringing in the virus. ”
DAILY POST reports that Nigeria, at the moment, is having over 110 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said it is on contact-tracing of up to 6,000 persons, who have had contacts with confirmed cases.
