Lagos, Nigeria’s buzzing commercial city with an estimated population of 22 million people, was a near ghost town on Tuesday, March 31, as the presidential 14-day stay-at-home directive to contain the Covid-19 pandemic came into effect.
Economic and social activities were indeed grounded in total compliance with the directive, as citizens remained indoors amid fears that the spread of the killer virus could get worse in days ahead.
The situation was the same in Abuja, the nation’s capital, where public and private offices, business premises, markets and malls remained shut. Major roads in both cities were devoid of the usual traffic congestions as vehicles disappeared, except a few seen on essential duties.
Security and safety personnel drawn from the police, army, civil defence, neighbourhood watch and Federal Road Safety Corps were all over the cities. They were seen at multiple checkpoints along major roads where they stopped and demanded identification from occupants of vehicles on essential services. The empty streets, however, provided the opportunity for youths who engaged in football.
Read also: Lockdown: Police warns against disobedience in Kwara
In Alimosho area of Lagos, almost all the shops were locked. However, market women selling foodstuff were seen in their numbers at the popular Ijesha Market.
“I had to trek from my house to the nearest gas depot on our road to refill my cylinder this morning to cook for my children. There was no motorcycle (Okada) or tricycle (Keke) because they have all shut down,” said Aishat Yusuf, a middle aged woman.
She worried that the greatest challenge with the lockdown will have to do with having enough food at home for the two weeks.
Ade Suraji, an Okada rider, expressed the concern that the lockdown will put him out of business for the next 14 days and this will impact on his family’s welfare.
“Government said we should stay at home for 14 days without telling us how to survive or feed our children. What I see is that hunger would kill many of us before Coronavirus get to us,” said the father of three.
Fuel tankers were, however, seen on major roads heading for Apapa to lift petroleum products. Filling stations and tanker drivers are among those exempted from the lockdown.
At one of the filing stations, an official who spoke to Businessday decried low patronage. According to the official, it is contradictory asking people to stay at home and expecting the filling stations to open.
Only three filling stations were open to the public on the stretch of Alapere leading to the old tollgate through Ojota and Ikorodu road to Alaka. Other filling stations barricaded their entrances. It was observed that the few that opened for business recorded very low patronage.
In Abuja, security operatives were seen on major streets and highways to enforce the directive restricting movements of people and vehicles.
The FCT enforcement team headed by Atta Ikharo was also seen moving around major parts of the capital city to enforce compliance.
At the Kuje area council, a team of police officers working with the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) carried out a joint enforcement plan. They had moved around Kuje town in the early hours to sensitise the community on the need to comply with the lockdown directives.
President Muhammadu Buhari had on Sunday ordered lockdown on Lagos, Ogun and FCT. While the lockdown on Lagos and FCT took effect from 11 pm of Monday, Ogun will join on Friday.
President Buhari had followed up on Monday with the signing of the Covid-19 Regulations, 2020, giving legal backing to the various measures outlined in his national broadcast on March 29, 2020.
By 2pm on Tuesday, the number of confirmed cases in Nigeria had risen to 123. Lagos is leading with 81; Abuja-25; Ogun- 4, Enugu-2, Ekiti- 1, Oyo- 8, Edo- 2, Bauchi- 2, Osun- 5, Rivers- 1, Benue- 1,and Kaduna- 3.
