Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has warned that the lockdown order issued by President Buhari on Sunday March 29, might be extended if Nigerians refused to comply with the stay at home orders.
“If we don’t behave ourselves, there is a likelihood that the lockdown will be extended,” the Minister said at a press conference by the Presidential Task Force on Coronavirus in Abuja on Friday.
Lai Mohammed urged Nigerians to observe social distancing and a good hygiene, so everyone can get back to their normal lives after the 14-day lockdown.
Lai Mohammed continued, “but if we behave ourselves, there might not be an extension and I hope we do so.
“If we stay at home for two weeks, and we are doing everything we are supposed to do, we should be able to effectively contain the disease.
“Therefore, my appeal to Nigerians is that they should obey the directive on social distancing, personal hygiene and shun gatherings; after two weeks, we will resume our normal life.
“But if they think it is a joke, then we may have to stay at home more than the two weeks.”
The minister also disclosed that families of coronavirus victims would not be allowed to claim their remains for burial.
According to the minister, such corpses are properties of the Federal Government.
He said, “Coronavirus is very dangerous and contagious; there is no medicine for it yet and it is not just capable of killing, overwhelming health care system but it will destroy the economy.
“In some countries, they are putting dead bodies in big refrigerators because of the morgues.”
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK