President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that the lockdown in Abuja, the nation’s capital, as well as Lagos and Ogun States will remain in force till Monday, May 4.

The additional seven days will make it the fifth week since the president first declared a two-week lockdown in the three areas on March 29 to curb the spread of coronavirus.

On April 13, President Buhari had extended the lockdown by another two weeks following increasing cases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a nationwide broadcast the President noted however that the lockdown measures in the FCT, Lagos and Ogun States will be eased gradually in phases effective from May 4.

He therefore announced new measures that will ensure the COVID-19 virus spread is checked, which are overnight curfew from 8pm to 6am; a ban on non-essential inter-state passenger travel until further notice; mandatory use of face masks or coverings in public in addition to maintaining physical distancing and personal hygiene among others.

The president also gave the federal government’s backing to Kano State government’s proclamation of lockdown, saying the state should be totally shut down for a period of two weeks.