Among other factors that were considered, the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir holiday coincides with the expiration of the current phase of ease of lockdown. Therefore, it became a matter of prudence to extend the lockdown by one week, he said.

Phase 2 of the eased lockdown, which ought to have come to an end on Wednesday 20 July, will now be extended to Thursday, August 6, 2020. All the existing guidelines that were earlier announced would, therefore, remain in place until the new date. The 10 pm to 4 am curfew will remain in place, and interstate movement will also be permitted outside of curfew hours. Commercial transport drivers are only allowed to take 60% of their normal passenger capacities when embarking on trips.

Mustapha noted in his briefing that global confirmed cases have surpassed 16.3 million in over 200 countries and territories, with about 0.65 million deaths and 10 million recoveries. On the 24th of July 2020, the world recorded over 284,000 additional confirmed cases and 9750 deaths, the highest ever, and a red flag to all countries.

“It showed that despite almost 6 months of tackling the COVID-19 and investments in billions and trillions of dollars, we still recorded the highest number on 24 July”, he stated.

Mustapha then urged Nigerians to be more careful and adhere to safety guidelines put in place, as current statistics show a high rate of community transmission and about 65% of fatalities for those above 65 years.

“If you do not need to go outside your home, please stay indoors and abide by the guidelines,” he stressed.