The Kwara and Kogi State Government have directed all civil servants to work from home following the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.
In a statement released by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, all civil servants apart from the Ministry of Health and essential workers, are to work from home beginning on Monday, March 23 until further notice.
The Kwara State Governor who ordered the closure of all public and private nurseries, primary, secondary and state-owned Tertiary institutions, also placed a ban on public gatherings of more than 25 people.
Governor Abdulrazaq revealed plans of building additional and well-equipped 12-bed intensive care unit at the General Hospital, Ilorin. It was further gathered that a “COVID-19 Technical Committee” comprising of healthcare professionals and officials whose primary responsibility is to assist our administration in combating COVID-19 in Kwara State, have been constituted. The committee is headed by the Deputy Governor of the state.
The statement reads in parts;
As individuals, we are all responsible for the general well-being of fellow Kwarans and should work together to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by:
1) washing our hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as much as possible daily;
2)avoiding touching our eyes, mouths, and noses;
3) covering our mouths and noses with our bent elbow or tissue when we cough or sneeze;
4) staying more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from a person who is sick and coughing, and wearing a mask if you are ill (especially if coughing) or looking after someone who is ill and coughing;
5) abstaining from handshaking until the threat of this COVID-19 is zero; and
6) avoiding crowded area and minimising any gathering to a maximum of 25.
As a community, we must do everything possible to prevent any transmission of COVID-19 by embracing the concept of social distancing and self-isolation. These measures are to prevent anyone that may be infected with COVID-19 from spreading the disease to others.
An exponential spread of COVID-19 in our community might be catastrophic because we could have thousands of our citizens sick at the same time.
Given the aforementioned and the global health emergency situation, our administration has taken the following difficult but important decisions to protect Kwarans:
1) Closure of all public and private nurseries, primary, secondary and state-owned Tertiary institutions.
2) Aside from Ministry of health and essential workers, all civil servants are to work from home.
3) All gatherings of more than 25 people are hereby discouraged until further notice.
In the same vein, Kogi State Government has directed civil servants on Grade Level 1 – 13 to stay off offices for 14 days as from Monday, March 23 as part of efforts to prevent the spread of Coronavirus to the state.
The state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, made the announcement in a statement on Monday in Lokoja.
Fanwo said: “Only workers from GL 1 to 13 are affected by the directive to stay at home while GL 14 and above are to report at their offices.
Kogi State Government has directed civil servants on Grade Level 1 – 13 to stay off offices for 14 days as from Monday, March 23 as part of efforts to prevent the spread of Coronavirus to the state.
The state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Kingsley Fanwo, made the announcement in a statement on Monday in Lokoja.
Fanwo said: “Only workers from GL 1 to 13 are affected by the directive to stay at home while GL 14 and above are to report at their offices.
“Those rendering essential services are to continue to go to their work places as they are not affected by the work from the home directive,” Fanwo said.
According to Fanwo, the decision, a preventive measure is subject to review after the first week beginning from March 23.
The state is yet to record a single case of the deadly disease.
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Dele Momodu, has urged former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Bode George to stop harbouring what he described as anti-Atiku sentiments.
In a post on X, Momodu stated that Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, has a legitimate right to pursue his presidential ambition.
He was reacting to a video interview in which George criticised Atiku for allegedly placing his personal ambition above party interests.
Recall that Atiku and George were previously members of the PDP before the former VP defected to the ADC.
George, in the interview, openly faulted Atiku’s continued presidential bid.
“There’s someone who has been bragging so much, and whom I pity so much.
“Despite elder statesmen’s efforts to make peace reign, this person insists that it’s his ambition. He keeps insisting he would run, but is his ambition greater than that of Nigeria?” George had said.
Reacting, Momodu wrote, “Baba mi sir, you know I love and respect you a lot, kindly purge yourself of anti-Atiku sentiments.
“It is his right to contest, sir, while it is your right not to support him. Atiku has never bragged to anyone about his political dreams. Never.”
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his reported declaration of war against anti-Tinubu candidates ahead of the February 21, 2026 elections.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi on Monday, the party described the comment as irresponsible and dangerous.
According to the statement, it would not stop Nigerians from deciding who to vote.
The ADC said the minister’s remarks were troubling, especially at a time when the country is facing economic hardship, insecurity and political tension.
“We consider the Minister’s declaration of war against so-called anti-Tinubu candidates not only irresponsible, but dangerous in the current fragile atmosphere of our nation. At a time when Nigerians are grappling with unprecedented economic hardship, insecurity, and deep political distrust, the last thing the country needs is inflammatory rhetoric from those entrusted with public office.
“Nigeria must not be turned into a ground for settling political scores; it is a constitutional democracy. Power ultimately belongs to the people, not to any President, any Minister, or anyone who wrongly assumes that holding public office means owning the country,” the statement warned.
The party said it was reminding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nyesom Wike and other officials of the administration that Nigerians cannot be bullied or pressured.
It added that any attempt to threaten or force voters into submission only shows fear and exposes what it described as growing anxiety within Wike, Tinubu and the APC over their level of public support, as well as a widening disconnect between the government and many citizens.
“If Wike, the APC and its leaders are confident in their performance, they should submit themselves humbly to the verdict of the electorate.
“The ADC will not sit idly by and watch political actors truncate our democracy. Any attempt, overt or covert, to subvert the will of Nigerians to freely choose their leaders will be firmly resisted through every means at our disposal. We are prepared to mobilize democratic institutions, civil society partners, and the Nigerian people themselves in defense of the sanctity of the ballot,” the statement added.
“If they are confident in their performance, they should submit themselves humbly to the verdict of the electorate,” the ADC said.
The party also vowed to resist any attempt to interfere with the outcome of the election.
“Any attempt, overt or covert, to subvert the will of Nigerians to freely choose their leaders will be firmly resisted through every means at our disposal,” the statement read.
The ADC insisted that no declaration of war or political pressure would override the voice of the electorate in the February 21 polls.
Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, has declared that votes must count in the 2027 general elections, warning that anyone who attempts to undermine the process would face legal consequences.
In a statement shared via his verified X handle on Monday, Obi stressed that unlike in previous elections, Nigerians would insist that every valid vote is counted and properly recorded.
He urged citizens to remain at their polling units after casting their ballots to witness the counting and transmission of results, insisting that electoral transparency is critical to safeguarding the country’s democracy.
“Unlike in the past, in 2027 our votes MUST count, and all those who are there not to count the votes will be counted among those destroying Nigeria.
“I encourage everyone to remain at the polling units after voting to count and witness the counting and transmission of results. Those who refuse to allow the votes count will be made to count the full weight of the law against rigging.
“Let me reiterate: if you do not count our votes, we will count you among those who destroy our democracy, thereby destroying our future, and you must answer to the law,” Obi said.
