President Muhammadu Buhari Monday night in Abuja signed the Covid-19 Regulations 2020 in accordance with Sections 2, 3 and 4 of the Quarantine Act (CAP Q2 LFN 2004). The regulations declared Covid-19 as a dangerous and infectious disease.
A statement by the president’s media adviser, Mr. Femi Adesina, said the Regulations which took effect from Monday, March 30, 2020, would serve as a legal backing to various measures unveiled by the president during his national broadcast on March 29, 2020.
The statement also said such measures like the restriction/cessation of movement in Lagos, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Ogun State, among other decisions, were aimed at containing the spread of the pandemic in the country.
The statement added that in addition to measures aimed at enabling Nigerians to perform on-line transactions and use automatic teller machine (ATMs) during these restrictions, the Regulations grant exemption to financial system and money markets. The financial system exemption, the statement added, was aimed at allowing very skeletal operations with a view to keeping the system in light operations while these regulations subsists.
The statement read: “In exercise of the powers conferred on him by Sections 2, 3 and 4 of the Quarantine Act (CAP Q2 LFN 2004), and all other powers enabling him in that behalf, President Muhammadu Buhari, Monday, signed the Covid-19 Regulations, 2020, which declared Covid-19 a dangerous infectious disease.
“The Regulations, effective March 30, 2020, also gave legal backing to the various measures outlined in the President’s National Broadcast on March 29, 2020, such as Restriction/Cessation of Movement in Lagos, FCT and Ogun State and others toward containing the spread of the pandemic in the country.
“In addition, to ensure that Nigerians can still perform on-line transactions and use ATMs whilst observing these restrictions, exemption is granted financial system and money markets to allow very skeletal operations in order to keep the system in light operations during the pendency of these regulations.”
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Police Command said it has arrested 165 persons and impounded 205 vehicles and tricycles for violating the curfew imposed in the state. As part of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, COVID-19, the command a few days ago was directed to enforce laws in the state. PPRO of the Command, ASP Mohammad Jalige in a statement said the Command in collaboration with other security agencies had continued to enforce and closely monitor compliance of the respective Executive Orders.
Jalige explained two clerics were among those arrested for violating the curfew added that the arrested persons currently with the Command’s Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for interrogation. “The suspects will be prosecuted immediately on the completion of investigation in accordance with the relevant extant laws of the land,” he added.
