As part of measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has ordered the immediate shut down of all its enrolment centres in Lagos, Ekiti, Ogun, Katsina, and Anambra states.
In a statement signed by Kayode Adegoke, the head of corporate communications, NIMC, the commission states, “The move has become necessary to prevent our staff and applicants from getting more vulnerable to the pandemic.”
Consequently, all enrolment activities, card collection and other identity-related activities are hereby suspended in the aforementioned states until further notice.
NIMC says the closure is not intended to create panic but to arrest the spread of the disease, which has become a global threat.
“We hereby regret any inconvenience the closure might cause as our paramount concern as a responsible and responsive Commission is the safety of all,” the statement reads.
It is believed that other government agencies will follow suit in closing down or restricting business due to the rapid spread of coronavirus across the country.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration on Thursday ordered the closure of all schools from today, March 20, 2020.
Social and religious activities are to be restricted. Shopping malls and other large business premises without sanitizers and other safety measures are to be shut down immediately.
There are currently 12 confirmed coronavirus cases in Nigeria, even as numbers continue to rise daily.
