COVID-19: Sanwo-Olu vows to re-impose total lockdown over guidelines violation

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said Saturday he would not hesitate to re-impose total lockdown in the state if residents continued to violate guidelines on the relaxation of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Sanwo-Olu stated this while giving an update on the management of COVID-19 and review of the lockdown in the state.

The governor said the level of compliance with guidelines on the relaxation of the lockdown was unacceptable.

According to him, the compliance level for commercial transport operators was regrettably low.

He said the yellow bus transport operators failed to comply with capacity restrictions outlined in the guidelines and many commercial motorcycle operators had also openly and indiscriminately defied the suspension.

Sanwo-Olu told journalists that the ban on inter-state travel, except for essential goods and services was also consistently flouted.

He said: “Trucks and other vehicles carrying items designated as essential have also played major roles in flouting the guidelines by conspiring to conceal and smuggle people in and out of the state.

“Reports about mask usage in public places have also not been encouraging. Many people are still choosing to go out without masks or face coverings of any kind. This is simply unacceptable.

”Let me reiterate that the success of this gradual easing of the lockdown is dependent upon the compliance of each and every one of us.

“As a government, elected to uphold the security of Lagos State – and this includes health security – let me make it clear that we will not hesitate to review the terms of this easing if we continue to see evidence that Lagosians are determined to flout the rules.

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”I am aware that the Presidential Task Force has also made this point: that the continued maintenance of this easing is only guaranteed when people consistently comply.”

The governor added that the increasing number of COVID-19 cases seen should stand as a warning for people to comply with the guidelines.

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