The Nigerian government on Wednesday lifted the nationwide midnight curfew earlier imposed to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
Restrictions on parties, concerts and other crowded activities have also been lifted.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 and titled; “Implementation Guidelines for Easing COVID-19 Restrictions.”
The PSC said the social restriction recommendations were revised in line with the three established thematic areas of movement, industry and labour, as well as community activities.
It explained that the decision followed the reduced risk of importation of new variants, availability of vaccines and the increasing number of people vaccinated in Nigeria and globally.
The government had on May 10, 2021, imposed a nationwide curfew of 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. to limit the spread of the virus.
It also reduced gatherings of religious groups and social functions, among others, to 50 per cent attendance, while official engagements, meetings, and conferences were mandated to continue to hold virtually.
As of Tuesday evening, Nigeria has recorded 255,516 COVID-19 infections according to an update published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The virus has killed 3,142 persons in the country.
The government urged everyone to comply with existing safety protocols like the use of face masks, regular hand washing and social distancing to limit the spread of the virus.
“Patients with underlying ailments are advised to uphold the use of universal precaution which includes the use of face masks, avoid crowds, and frequent use of hand sanitisers,” the new guideline states in part.
The government also said the safety protocols provide a baseline from which state governments could further build to strengthen their responses based on their local circumstances.
It advises states to “continue to consider them as the minimum guidelines required to ensure an acceptable level of epidemic control nationwide.”
The new guidelines indicated that there are no limitations on air travel – both domestic and international flights.
The government urged both international and domestic travellers to abide by all existing protocols, including the use of face masks while onboard and taking personal precaution measures; and all arriving international passengers must register on the Nigeria International Travel Portal.
“No limitations on inter or intra-state travel; all vendors and service providers must abide by stated stipulations from the Federal Ministry of Transportation; all passengers and commuters must wear face masks once on board, as well as continue to observe personal precautionary measures,” PSC added.
