There are now fears the Nigeria government may be heading for a complete lockdown , as more officials of the Buhari government may have been affected by the ravaging Coronavirus.
This is as indications emerged on Wednesday that the Presidential Intensive Care Unit inside Aso Villa has been activated and placed on standby, even as President Muhammadu Buhari continues his self-isolation inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja
Already, many heads of MDAs, have gone into self isolation after hearing of those who tested positive to the virus, leading to halt in government activities, especially at the nation’s capital, Abuja
The development is affecting government activities bringing it to a halt, with staff shutting down offices.
Many government offices are now a shadow of their original bustling environment with hitherto robust activities aa a result of the fear of contacting the Virus.
BusinessDay checks in Abuja, show that many who had contact with the CoS, including cabinet members and key Aso Rock officials are apprehensive and have either gone into self isolation, while some have gone for the tests with the results are expected any moment
BusinessDay sources at the presidency reveals that the President himself has been completely isolated despite reports that he tested negative to the Corona Virus, while the family has moved out of their official residence.
The President’s domestic staff have been scaled down drastically with only four allowed into the residence.
BusinessDay Presidency source revealed that the First Lady, Aisha Buhari and her children left the official residence on Tuesday and moved into one of the guest houses located within the Villa.
The First Lady was said to have moved out of the official residence since Tuesday, when it was announced that the President’s Chief of Staff , Abba Kyari CoS, tested positive for the Virus.
This followed the test carried out on Monday on President Buhari and Abba Kyari
“ Abba Kyari is very close to the President and they are always together, so, it will not be a surprise to know that the President is affected”.
Movements in and out of the residence has been stopped, except for the four cooks in the official residence, our source stated.
Insider sources said the First Lady was very disappointed that the CoS, did not go into self isolation on his return from Germany and Egypt on the 14th of Match.
The regular church service at the Villa Chapel located a stone throw from the First Lady’s wing has been halted following the decision by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to also remain in self isolation.
Nigeria’s spread rates which is currently growing on the average of two new cases per day, experts believe should be halted now by shutting down economic activities to curb increase in the spread of the virus
A Medical practitioner, Dr Oyoyo while calling for shutdown, said it as the most appropriate measures that should be in place now, to check further spreads
“ Well, from the medical point of view, we should short down now to halt further spread, because, unlike other countries, we do know that we do not have the type of facilities needed to handle more serious calamities” he said
The call for shutdown is borne out of the fears that governance may totally grind to halt sooner or later as many cabinet members, governors, visitors and other key Aso Villa staff who may have come in contact with either the infected CoS and the Bauchi State Governor are obviously living in fear over a possible infection.
