The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has threatened to impose a total lockdown on the state if people continue to violate the safety guidelines issued to contain the spread of the virus in the state.
Sanwo-Olu said the government would be forced to review terms of easing the lockdown if there was no improvement in the adherence to the guidelines initiated to break the cycle of transmission of the dreaded virus.
The governor spoke on Saturday during a maiden briefing after the ease of a five-week lockdown imposed by the Federal Government.
He complained that residents went about their businesses in the last five days after the ease of lockdown without complying with the public health guidelines despite massive advocacy.
He said the crowd observed at various banks and markets across the state flouted the public gathering directive, noting that the government would not watch while people violate the State’s guidelines towards combating the pandemic.
A statement from the LASG quoted the governor as saying, “As a Government elected to uphold the security of its citizens, which include health security, we will not hesitate to review the terms of the easing of lockdown if we do not see an improvement in adherence to our public health guidelines in the next couple of days.
“We will be forced to take a painful decision of bringing the entire system under lockdown if we continue to see evidence that Lagosians are determined to flout the rules.”
Sanwo-Olu said the State Government’s order restricting the operation of commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, had been defied, directing the police to confiscate any commercial motorcycle seen flouting his directive.
The Governor also instructed security personnel to strictly enforce the ban on inter-state movement, directing the police to turn back all pedestrians trekking to Lagos from boundary highways.
He said, “We are at a critical point in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic where every citizen of the state needs to take responsibility for their health and wellbeing.
“As citizens, we have a great burden upon us, to behave responsibly. These times demand a lot from us, in terms of actions and behaviours that may not be comfortable. To stay alive and well, we have to abandon old habits and customs, and adopt new ones.”

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COVID-19: Sonwo Olu threaten another total lockdown due to lack of compliance of social distancing by Lagosians.