President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to security agencies not to harm or cause any pain to any Nigerian during this lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Videos have surfaced online where security agencies were seen punishing some persons who flouted the lockdown order.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, gave the president directive yesterday during the Presidential Task Force (PTF) briefing in Abuja.
He urged the agencies to be subtle in the course of enforcing the lockdown order in Lagos and Ogun States, as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He said, “The PTF finds it very necessary to appeal to our law enforcement agencies to deploy tact and caution in the course of enforcing the rules even in the face of provocation.
“We similarly appeal to all Nigerians to be law-abiding, exercise patience and self-restraint. The message from Mr. President is that no Nigerian should, on account of these rules, suffer any harm or pains during this period or any other time in our national life.
The SGF also appealed to traders and service providers not to increase the prices of goods and commodities
“To the Nigerian traders and businessmen and women, we appeal for resistance to the urge to hike prices of goods and commodities during this period as our compassionate nature must prevail,” he added.
While noting that the team has continued to monitor the situation across the country, the SGF said they have been receiving positive reports that there has been a high level of compliance with the lockdown orders in Lagos, Ogun, and Abuja.
According to him, coronavirus remains a potential danger to all of humanity and it threatens Nigeria’s economy and national security.
He, therefore, called on the people to play their part in the national response very seriously, as the Federal Government ensures measures to curb the spread of the disease.
“The Federal Government has ramped up its synergy with the state governments through video-conferencing communication and the platform of the Governors’ Forum. By these measures, a lot of gaps are being closed for uniformity of purpose,” he added.
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