Lagos Government warns that crossover services must not violate 12am COVID-19 curfew

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has warned Church leaders not to violate the 12am to 4am COVID-19 curfew declared by the Federal Government as they prepare for their Crossover services.

Sanwo-Olu, who address Lagosians for the first time after overcoming COVID-19 in Marina, Lagos on Thursday appealed to Lagosians to hold their prayers at home.

He said church leaders must been mindful that there is a 12am to 4am curfew nationwide and that it must not be violated in holding Crossover services in various churches.

The governor said COVID-19 is real and that people should not joke with it, adding that he was lucky to have been brought down by a mild symptoms of the virus.

“I am equally grateful to the medical personnel who have cared for me over the last two weeks, since my COVID-19 diagnosis; and to you the good people of Lagos State for your well wishes and prayers regarding my health.

I spent 14 days in isolation, experiencing mostly moderate symptoms. It was an experience I am very glad to have put behind me. I received very dedicated and competent care from the Lagos State COVID-19 Treatment Team, and I am extremely proud of the work that they do. They are a big part of the success story of the Lagos State COVID-19 Response.

“I was fortunate to have had a relatively moderate COVID-19 experience. About one in every ten persons who contracts the disease in Lagos State is not so lucky; they have to go into intensive care, and some of them do not make it out alive. For this reason, my gratitude is deep and profuse,” he said.

And it is also for this reason, that I am here to appeal to us all today, that the best way to be lucky is not to get infected in the first place. The cliché, prevention is better than cure, should be a watchword for each and every one of us at this moment in time.

According to Sanwo-Olu, “Not only is COVID-19 here with us, this second wave we are currently seeing is proving to be more ambitious than the first wave. We are seeing infection figures that are surpassing what we saw at the peak of the first wave, and, just like then, Lagos remains the epicentre.

“As Nigeria’s most populous and densely-populated city, and a centre of international trade and commerce, this is not surprising in any way. But it is also the reason we need to exercise an abundance of caution.

“World over, Christmas is associated with gathering, merriment and traveling – which all, sadly, contribute to the spread of the Coronavirus. We must now seek to minimize as much of these activities as we can, at this time and going forward.”

He said as Christians celebrate Christmas and all the New Year, people must be mindful of COVID-19 steps, saying that all persons feeling symptoms associated with the Coronavirus must immediately isolate themselves and contact any Public Testing Facilities, where a Test would be arranged free of charge.