All tertiary institutions in Lagos State are to shut down with immediate effect. The order was pronounced on Friday by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu during a live broadcast on the Coronavirus update in the State.
The Governor, who is the Incident commander on the Coronavirus also announced proscription of large assemblage of people in any form to halt the spread of the disease.
Sanwo-Olu started by acknowledging that it was a trying period for leaders and citizens all over the world, noting that the virus had impacted every part of the globe negatively, with a heavy toll on human beings and the global economy.
He said: ‘’the impact has been enormous, on households, healthcare systems, global supply chains, and the global economy.
On February 27, 2020, Nigeria recorded its first case of the Covid19 disease, an Italian who landed in Lagos from Istanbul. Since then, the number of confirmed cases in Nigeria has risen to 12, so far.’’
Governor Sanwo-Olu said it is not surprising that Lagos, being the most populous State in the country has been the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. He however assured that the Government was ready to combat the virus, saying that the State was fully prepared weeks ahead of the first reported case in the country.
“We are also extremely prepared and capable of containing the threat that the Coronavirus represents. Our bio-secure isolation facility at the Mainland Infectious Diseases Hospital, Yaba is equipped and able to contain the disease.’’
“As the Chief Incident Commander of Lagos State, it is my duty to update you regularly on this disease, and on the steps we are taking, in Lagos State, to fight it, working in close collaboration with the Federal Government and other partners, including the private sector.’’