…Kaduna to prosecute 2 Muslim clerics
…Forty-one hotel guests, workers on forced quarantine in Owerri
As the number of Coronavirus (COVID) cases in Nigeria hit 97 on Saturday evening with eight fresh cases, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) says that the virus has been recorded in 11 States of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
This is just as the Kaduna State government, which on Thursday banned all social and religious gatherings as a measure to mitigate the spread of the virus has announced that it will prosecute two Islamic clerics for conducting congregational prayers in violation of the state’s public health measures.
They named the two Muslim clerics as Aminu Umar Usman and Umar Shangel.
In giving the update on the eight new confirmed cases on Saturday night, the NCDC said: “As at 10:40 pm 28th March, there are 97 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Nigeria with 1 death.”
A breakdown of the confirmed COVID-19 cases shows that Lagos has the highest number of cases with 59 infections followed by FCT with 16 infections.
The figures show that there are seven cases in Oyo, three in Ogun, while Enugu, Edo, Bauchi, and Osun have two cases each. Ekiti, Rivers, Benue and Kaduna have one case each.
The figure had moved from 81 on Friday night to 89 by Saturday afternoon.
According to the Tweet: “KADUNA UPDATE: Two clerics have been arrested for conducting congregational prayers in violation of Kaduna State public health preventive measures. A KDSG statement said that Malam Aminu Umar Usman and Malam Umar Shangel will be prosecuted.”
In addition, 41 hotel guests and workers Owerri, capital of Imo State, have been forcefully placed on the mandatory two weeks quarantine after State officials monitoring compliance with regulations on COVID-19 swooped on the hotel premises on Saturday and locked everyone in.
Also, a man who recently returned to Okpanam Community, Oshimili North L.G.A, Delta State, was arrested and forced to self-isolate after he assaulted health officials.
In the vein, youths in Katsina State killed one person and burnt down a Nigeria Police station at Kusada after the Police prevented the Muslim community in the town from holding the Juma’at on Friday, in compliance with government’s ban on gathering of over 50 people.
The increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Nigeria has led to the closure of boundaries by most of Nigeria’s State governments, effectively limiting movements of goods and services.
It has also led to the total ban on all economic, social and religious activities in the country.