The Director-General of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu has said the lockdown was eased because the Federal Government had expected that Nigerians will take responsibility for their health, having been provided with necessary guidelines.
He said the government knew a day would come when it would be necessary but wanted Nigerians to decide not make a mess of the country’s situation.
Speaking on TVC on Tuesday, lhekweazu said he didn’t think that easing the lockdown was a mistake, judging by what happened on Monday, when crowds thronged banks and other public places, flouting all precautionary guidelines provided to curb the spread of coronavirus disease.
He said “We don’t think that easing the lockdown was a mistake.
“We knew already knew that this day would come but we really expected Nigerians to take a little bit more responsibility for what happened yesterday.
‘“There is only a little the government can do. We can issue lockdowns, we can bring out the police but we rely on the common sense of most Nigerians, we rely on Nigeria taking responsibility.
“This is not being done for NCDC or for the Federal government or the state government. It is being done for all of us.
“So we really are counting. Let’s take yesterday as an exception.
“Lets see what happens today. Let us see how many cooperates will come out of their offices and organize the queues in front of their offices.
“ Let’s see how many cooperates will organize their office spaces and actually put out their hand washings and educate their staff on the changes that they need to do for themselves.
“This is not being done for us. This is being done for you.”
“So all of us have to take responsibility,” he added.
Recall that the lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and FCT ended on Monday as residents were allowed to resume work.
However, DAILY POST gathered that some commercial buses, popularly known as ‘Danfo’ flouted the Lagos State transportation guidelines.
Pictures and videos of Nigerians overcrowded in public places also emerged online, escalating fears that the virus would spread faster with the ease of lockdown.