Covid-19: Nigeria to Shut Restaurants and Bars, Restrict Gatherings to 50

The Nigerian government has placed a ban on large gatherings and restricting the crowd at events to a maximum of 50 in a string of fresh measures aimed at curtailing a further spread of Covid-19 across the country.

All bars, nightclubs, pubs, event centres, and recreational venues will be shut in a move to be implemented over the next five weeks.

Restaurants outside hotels will also be shut.

The move will also ensure civil servants from grade 12 work from home.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha made the announcement on Monday at the briefing of the presidential task force on Covid-19, noting that the measures were taken to prevent the spread of the disease.

Mustapha during the briefing said “the PTF has surveyed developments and actions taken by governments around the world, assessed our domestic environment and has accordingly submitted its recommendations to Mr President on immediate measures to be taken.

“Accordingly, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has authorised the PTF to engage with the states and the FCT to assume full ownership of this stage of the response by deploying legal structures and resources, including enforcement to manage the pandemic within their jurisdictions.

“In line with the authorisation, the PTF wishes to issue the following advisories to sub-national entities for implementation over the next five weeks because these activities are considered super spreader events:

Close all bars, nightclubs, pubs and event centres, and recreational venues;

Close all restaurants except those providing services to hotel residents, takeaways, home deliveries and drive-ins;

Restrict all informal and formal festivity events including weddings, conferences, congresses, office parties, concerts, seminars, sporting activities and end of year events to not more than 50 persons;

Limit All gatherings linked to religious events to less than 50% capacity of the facility of use during which physical distancing; mandatory use of face masks shall be strictly enforced.

Where more than 50 persons are attending,l any such events, the gathering should be held outdoors only.

Public transportation systems are to carry passengers not more than 50% of their capacity in compliance with social distancing rules.

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