Amid a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano has relaxed the lockdown order imposed on the state by President Buhari.
The President had imposed a total lockdown on the state on April 27 to allow health officials to monitor the situation.
During a press conference at the state government house on Saturday evening, May 2, Governor Ganduje announced that there would be free movement in the state on Mondays and Thursdays between 10 am and 4 pm.
He also stated that all major markets in the state would remain closed, except Ya’nkaba and Ya’nlemo markets where vegetables and fruits are sold. Additionally, supermarkets in the state are allowed to operate within the six-hour timeframe with customers observing all COVID-19 precautions.
“We have provided face masks, to be distributed to the people. I directed chairmen of the local government to also provide the face masks for their people. Afterwards, we will make it compulsory for everybody to wear it,” he said.
In addition, he announced that billionaire businessman, Aliko Dangote, had donated a mobile testing centre with the capacity to test 400 samples in a day and 1000 samples in a week.
“The more we are getting the test, the more people who contracted the virus would be exposed and the more we stamp out the disease in our state. What we just want is for the public to adhere strictly to the protocols of the COVID-19 and abide by the lockdown order in order to break the chain of the transmission,” he said
Currently, Kano state is the second state with the highest number of COVID-19 cases.
There have also been reports of mysterious deaths in the state, leading to concerns among Nigerians. The Federal government and the state Ministry of Health are currently investigating the cause of these mysterious deaths.