COVID-19: President Buhari orders closure of all bars, night clubs, pubs, event centres

President Buhari has ordered the closure of all bars, night clubs, pubs and event centres, and recreational venues for the next five weeks to contain the spike in COVID – 19 pandemic.

Also ordered to be closed included all restaurants, while schools would remain closed till at least till January 18, 2021.

The government also restricted guests at all informal and formal festivity events, including weddings, conferences, congresses, office parties, concerts, seminars, sporting activities and end of year events to 50 persons.

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, stated these during the PTF press conference on Monday.

According to him, all government staff on grade level 12 and below are to stay at home for the next five weeks.

Boss Mustapha, while speaking at its briefing on Monday, said the new guidelines are part of measures to limit the spread of the virus.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari has authorised the PTF “to engage with the states and the FCT to assume full ownership of this stage of the response by deploying legal structures and resources, including enforcement to manage the pandemic within their jurisdictions”.

“In line with the authorisation, the PTF wishes to issue the following advisories to sub-national entities for implementation over the next five weeks because these activities are considered super spreader events:

“Close All bars, night clubs, pubs and event centres, and recreational venues;

“Close all restaurants except those providing services to hotel residents; takeaways, home deliveries and drive-ins shall remain closed,” he said.

Even before the federal government’s advisory, many states like Lagos and Kaduna already introduced new rounds of restrictions to check the spread of the virus.