COVID-19: Churches, mosques remain shut in Lagos, Oyo, Kaduna

The Lagos State Government, on Tuesday, said that churches and mosques in the state might not be reopened soon for worshippers.
The Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, said this on the sideline of the 2020 Ministerial Press Briefing commemorating the first year in office of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The Federal Government had on Monday, June 1, lifted the ban on mosques and churches in the country, based on guidelines and protocols agreed with state governments.
Elegushi said that the reopening of the worship centres was not possible soon, as the state was the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic.
”Even before the pronouncement by Federal Government, we have been having meetings with the religious leaders, we even had one with Safety Commission, looking at the possibility of reopening of religious houses.
”We also had one with the leaders of the two faiths and I want to tell you categorically that at that meeting, possibility of reopening religious houses was ruled out totally.
”They claimed that they cannot take such responsibility of ensuring that only 20 or 50 people are praying behind them.
”Like an Imam said, he doesn’t know what is going on at the back immediately he is leading a prayer. He said if more than 20 or 50 people are staying at his back  he is not going to take responsibility for their presence.
”So, in the meeting, we ruled out in totality the issue of reopening the religious houses until we have a clear coast for us to do so.
”The Federal Government mentioned it, but it never ruled out the state in achieving that pronouncement, so all states will have to look at possibility of doing so in their respective states.
”We all know Lagos is still having more figures. So definitely that will speak to our decision,” he said.
The commissioner, however, said that the governor would come out with further directives on the matter.
Also, the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force, headed by Governor Seyi Makinde, stated on Tuesday that it was yet to relax the ban on religious activities and the curfew imposed as a result of the pandemic.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, confirmed that the Task Force made its position public after a two-hour online meeting.
The statement added that the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force is still evaluating the situation in the state and, therefore, would not be able to follow the decision by the Presidential Task Force, which relaxed the ban on religious gathering and the curfew.
It explained that the position was informed by the ongoing risk, situation analysis being undertaken by a team of experts.
“The Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force wishes to alert the public that the ban on religious gathering remains in force in the state. The 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew earlier imposed on the state as a result of the ravaging pandemic, will also remain in force until further notice.
“This is because the Task Force is awaiting a risk, situation analysis report by a team of experts earlier commissioned to do so.
“The report is expected at the end of the week and it is only after the report has been analysed by the Task Force that it can be in a position to make further clarifications,” the statement read.
According to the statement, the Task Force will always make its decisions in relation to the behavioral patterns of the novel Coronavirus in its domain, relying on science, logic and data, assuring residents that the state is leaving no stone unturned in curtailing the spread of the dreaded virus.  
Meanwhile, the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) of the Task Force will on Wednesday commence the community testing for COVID-19, with the aim of determining the behaviour of the virus in the state.
The statement indicated that the exercise, which is scheduled to hold in 10 locations, will kick off in three different sites in Ibadan on Wednesday.
In Kaduna, the state government says it has not reopened markets or places of worship.
Mr Muyiwa Adekeye, the Special Adviser to Govenor Nasir el-Rufai on Media and Communication, stated this known in a statement issued on Tuesday in Kaduna.
Adekeye said that government has started engaging some business and religious leaders on how to ensure safe re-opening of markets and places of worship, saying that this had not been concluded.
“Until these consultations result in a formal announcement authorising businesses, markets and places of worship to reopen, it will be a violation of subsisting quarantine orders to reopen any unauthorised facility or to conduct congregational worship of any sort,” he said.
Adekeye said that the decision to close places of worship in the state was taken and enforced in March by government, as part of the proclamation of the quarantine orders in the state.
“Kaduna State is not one of the two states and the Federal Capital Territory where the Federal Government imposed lockdown.
“The steps taken to ease such federally-imposed lockdowns in the concerned places should not be construed as the Federal Government relaxing in all states, conditions that it did not impose in the first place.
“Kaduna State has its own well-articulated roadmap for reopening and this was published last week as a public document for the views and inputs of the citizens of the state.
“That is why when it extended the quarantine orders by two weeks on May 26, it also announced steps to ease some of the restrictions.
“These included increasing lockdown-free days to three and allowing approved businesses and facilities to open on those three days,” he said.
According to him, the quarantine extension, announced by the Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe on May 26, had made clear that schools, places of worship and markets would remain closed under the adjusted orders.
He said that relevant government officials and agencies would be engaging stakeholders, as might be identified from time to time, to discuss the conditions and circumstances for a safe reopening of these sectors.
“Government also maintains the prohibition of interstate and intercity travels.
“Government officials and mobile courts will continue to enforce this ban to prevent people from spreading the virus through non-essential movements.
“In addition, the nighttime curfew that has been enforced across the state still remains, from 6 pm to 6 am,” the governor’s spokesperson said.
He further reminded the residents that the partial easing of restrictions was being undertaken to ensure that COVID-19 prevention efforts could continue side-by-side with the pursuit of livelihoods.
“It has been a most difficult period for the citizens, with many inconveniences amid the danger of COVID-19, but they are aware that the state has not experienced hundreds of unexplained deaths.
“COVID-19 infections continue to rise due partly to intensive testing, tracing and treatment by our health personnel and largely to the failure of some persons to comply fully with the imposed quarantine restrictions.
“All the sacrifices made by residents of the state demand that the easing of the lockdown be done safely and responsibly.
“Public safety and the protection of human lives remain the sole motivation for the government’s COVID-19 response,” he said.
Adekeye, therefore, appealed to the residents to be patient and collaborate with government to implement a careful, safe and responsible re-opening of the state.