COVID-19 : Kogi govt lifts ban on religious gatherings

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi State has lifted the social distancing order imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on religious congregations in mosques and churches across the state.

Bello, in a statement issued in Lokoja on Thursday, said that the lifting of the ban was to enable religious bodies to resume their normal worship and services.

The statement was signed by Mr Kingsley Fanwo, the state Commissioner for Information and Communication.

The state government urged all religious leaders to put in place preventive and precautionary measures in their various worship centres in order to contain the outbreak and spread of corona virus in the state.

Specifically, the governor directed that hand sanitizers must be provided for worshipers at the entrances of all churches and mosques. Sitting arrangements in mosques and churches should be done to ensure social distancing.

“We also urge churches and mosques to make their services as brief as possible in order not to keep a large crowd of worshipers within an enclosed confinement,” the Governor said.

Bello then enjoined the religious leaders to continue to pray for the end of the pandemic so that the world could return to normal activities.

Supreme learnt that Gov. Bello on March 20, ordered the closure of public and private schools (tertiary, secondary and primary) in the state indefinitely as measures in preventing the spread of coronavirus disease in the state.

The governor also banned all forms of gathering involving 30 people and above as part of the preventive measures against the spread of the virus.