Lagos, Abuja and Ogun state in Nigerian lockdown for 14 days

Lagos, Abuja and Ogun have been locked down for 14 days under the emergency measures announced by Nigeria's present Muhammadu Buhari on 29 March to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Travel between states has been banned and all businesses and offices are closed during that period. The only exemptions are healthcare related businesses, food processors, retail food deliveries, petroleum distributors, power companies and private security companies. 

All contacts with known cases of Covid-19 will be traced and will go into 14 days self isolation. Banks are shut, public transport, including taxis, has also been suspended for 14 days. Open markets are shut although local food shops, supermarkets and pharmacies are allowed to stay open. 

International airports and land borders are closed and cargo ships are only allowed to dock if they have been at sea for more than 14 days and their crews are all tested and confirmed not to have Covid-19.

According to Nigeria Centre for Disease Control website, on 1 April 174 Covid-19 cases had been recorded and 2 deaths.

The worst hit states are Lagos and Abuja but cases are now showing up in 12 states. Ogun has been closed because of its proximity to Lagos. 

Nigeria is mourning the death of Nigerian-born doctor Dr Alfa Saadu, a retired medical director in the the British National Health Service.

He came from Kwara State in western Nigeria and had worked for the NHS for 40 years. As medical director at Ealing hospital in London he improved the number of ethnic minorities appointed to high positions in the British health service. He was retired but he continued to work part time.

He self-isolated on the first signs of the symptoms of Covid-19 but his condition deteriorated and he died in Whittington Hospital in north London on 1 April.

He had warned that everyone should take the British government's advice seriously. Tributes to Dr Saadu have come from the the former president of Nigeria's senate and from the governor of Kwara state.