President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that the Aso Villa will not be opened for the usual Christmas homage by religious and community leaders. The President’s decision was taken to prevent further spread of COVID-19.
According to NTA, the development is in line with the prevailing protocol put in place by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, restricting large gatherings.
It stated,
- “President Muhammadu Buhari will not be hosting the usual Christmas homage by religious and community leaders in the Federal Capital Territory. The President urges all citizens to, in line with the prescribed protocol, observe social distancing, use face masks, wash hands frequently and avoid overcrowding of public spaces, markets, shopping centres, offices and places of worship.”
President Buhari, according to the source, urged Nigerians to avoid non-essential travels during the holiday season.
What you should know
On Monday, December 21, 2020, announced the imposition of new Covid-19 restrictions across the country including advising on the shutting down bars, event centres over the next 5 weeks, according to Nairametrics.
This new development follows the outbreak of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in various parts of the country. Night clubs, bars, and event centres recorded increased turnout in recent weeks as more Nigerians returned from abroad for the holiday. This also coincided with an increased rate of Covid-19 infections across the country.
According to a series of tweet posts on the official Twitter handle of the Aide to the President on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, the new instruction is contained in a statement issued by the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19, following the President’s authorization at the briefing of the task force in Abuja, the nation’s capital.