The Bauchi State government has reviewed the partial lockdown in the state and lifted the ban on religious gatherings with effect from Thursday.
The State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, who made this known during a stakeholders’ meeting said the state has been able to control the spread of COVID-19 despite the number of infections recorded in the state.
The governor said he convened the meeting with religious and traditional leaders, civil society organizations, security agencies and the media, to seek support in ensuring that the protective protocol put in place is adhered to strictly across the state.
“We are now looking at the possibility of lifting the lockdown completely in the state so that as from Thursday, people will go about their normal businesses.
“But we will come up with some templates where we will continue with the social distancing and mask-wearing will become compulsory.
“This decision will be taken by you because the decision of the lockdown was taken by you.
“We are just suggesting as a government and on behalf of the government, I am suggesting that as from Thursday, we should lift the lockdown, even the one in Katagum because it has been 10 days and of course the whole state,” the governor stated.
According to Governor Mohammed, with this, “people will go about their normal businesses, pray on Friday and Eid”, provided stakeholders can agree.
He, however, ordered that the Eid celebration be devoid of the usual Durban.
“We will need the support of our royal fathers so that there will not be much celebrations. We will only achieve what we want to achieve as Muslims, pray and thank Allah for the day. But there will be no horse riding if you agree. This is subject to our discussion here,” he said
While commending the religious leaders and traditional rulers for their support and cooperation while the lockdown lasted, the governor said that whatever decision reached would be fully implemented as the World Health Organization (WHO) has made it clear that the COVID-19 pandemic is here to stay.
