Coronavirus: No Church, Mosque Services Until Further Notice - Sanwo-Olu

Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has suspended the reopening of worship centres till further notice.

The Lagos State Government had earlier announced that churches and mosques in the state can start services. 

Religious houses in the state had been closed as a measure to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in the state. 

Muslim services had been told to resume on 19th June while Christian worship begins on the 21st of June, 2020, while children below age 15 not allowed. 

However, Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday suspended the reopening of religious houses following the increasing number of coronavirus cases in the state. 

The Governor said the reversal of the reopening order became necessary, following the evolving scenarios being observed in the course of COVID-19 infection in the State. He said the Government would continue to monitor developments and take necessary steps when the coast is clear. 

He said: “Dear Lagosians, in the most recent guidelines which we issued on the gradual easing of the lockdown, I noted that we would shortly be permitting the restricted opening of religious houses, on the condition of strict compliance with detailed guidelines issued by the Lagos State Safety Commission (LSSC). 

“We have been closely monitoring the situation since then, and have now concluded that we cannot proceed with any form of re-opening for places of worship in until further notice. We are now, hereby, suspending, with immediate effect, the plan to re-open religious houses and places of worship in Lagos until further notice. 

“This is not a decision that we have taken lightly; it is simply in line with our ongoing evaluation of evolving scenarios regarding the course of the infection in Lagos and the corresponding public health advisory guidelines issued by the experts. 

“We will continue to monitor the situation closely, and continue to base our decision-making on data modelling; as well as on the responsibility we have to act in a manner that ensures the protection of all Lagos residents.”

Sanwo-Olu also directed that all social and entertainment centres, including cinemas, cafès, restaurants, gyms, parks, nightclubs and social clubs, must remain closed. The Governor said the LSSC should continue with the Register-to-Open initiative to get clearance for businesses and social centres ahead of the new date for reopening.

The registration is free of charge for all entities. Religious houses are exempted from registration.

The Governor said the State had entered a phase in the battle against COVID-19 in which every resident, religious and business entity must take personal responsibility for their safety.

Sanwo-Olu said: “Let me make this clear that, we are now fully in the phase of personal responsibility regarding this pandemic. This means that the Government will maintain its responsibility to take protective decisions for the common good. What will ultimately save us all and defeat this virus are the sensible personal decisions that we take on a daily basis. 

“The responsibility we must take includes the use of face masks anytime we are going into public places, avoiding non-essential travel, staying at home when we don’t have any business being outside, and washing or sanitising our hands regularly. These are the simple but necessary steps that will save and protect us all.”

Editor's note: This story has been updated.