The Kaduna State Government has imposed a 24-Hours curfew in the State, following the noncompliance to certain measures that were earlier put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19.

The Deputy Governor, Hadiza Balarabe, who made this known in a State wide broadcast said that the decision is in line with the 1999 constitution.

She said the decision is “in the exercise of the powers vested in the Governor by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, (as amended), sections 2 and 8 of the quarantine act 1926 and the Kaduna State Public health law of 1917.”

Balarabe said that the State has, therefore “been declared a public health area. Coronavirus, otherwise known as COVID-19, is hereby declared as a dangerous, infectious disease within the meaning of the quarantine act.”

The Deputy Governor said that the State standing committee on COVID-19 prevention met on Thursday, March 26, to review global and national developments relating to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The committee also considered reports of unsatisfactory compliance levels with the preventive measures that have been outlined by the government in repeated announcements, and with increasing severity, over the past seven days,” she said.

Balarabe further said that apart from flouting the directive against large gatherings, “there were also reports of certain persons not obeying the ban announced on motorcycle taxis and ‘Keke-Napep ’ tricycles.”

She warned that “from midnight of Thursday, March 26, all residents of Kaduna state must stay at home. No offices, businesses of any sort, or places of worship are allowed to open.”

The Deputy Governor clarified that “the only category of persons exempted are workers in essential services such as health workers, the fire service and security personnel.”

Balarabe warned that the curfew would be strictly enforced by the security agencies, adding that “they have clear directives for the immediate arrest and prosecution of any person that violates these measures.”

“Churches and mosques will be shut. There will no congregational prayers or services either within these places of worship or outdoors. Wedding events and all social gatherings are strictly prohibited while these emergency measures remain in place,” the Deputy Governor further warned.

She said that any place of worship, event centre or place that hosts social gatherings would be in violation of its term of the grant and therefore risks forfeiting its title and having the site of the offence removed.

“We recognise that Kaduna State is a transport hub. Therefore, transit through Kaduna will be allowed, provided that such vehicles ply only the Western bye-pass.

“Government recognises that this lockdown will have consequences for everyone, but more so for the vulnerable persons in our communities. As indicated in previous statements, the government is procuring food and other supplies, funded from its contingency budget, to mitigate the challenges of a lockdown for such persons,” she added.