COVID-19: Rivers To Return To Lockdown In January - Wike Reveals

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has revealed that  Rivers state will return to lockdown from January 2021 following the upsurge in COVID-19 cases in the state.

Making this known while at the St. Martin’s Anglican Church, Omagwa in Ikwerre Local Government on Sunday, Wike frowned at the churches and markets for their refusal to enforce the compulsory wearing of face mask which is part of the COVID-19 directives.

READ ALSO: Second Wave: Kwara Bows To COVID-19 Pressure, Imposes Another Partial Lockdown

Wike further revealed that he will announce strict measures in order to contain the further spread of COVID-19 in the state.

“When you go to some churches, they don’t wear masks. Go to the market, they don’t wear masks. They believe COVID is not real. It’s not real because it has not happened to you; nobody had died whom you know. When somebody has died and the person was close to you, you will know that Covid is real.

“So, it is real and I want to appeal to all of you that we have to be more strict now because the second wave is more dangerous than the first wave. It’s very, very dangerous. I know how many people we have lost since the second wave started,” he stated.

“If you don’t comply, I have no choice, but to shut down the churches; Pentecostal, Catholic, Anglican. I have no choice, because when you have it, who spends the money? It is the state that treats.

“So, we need to use the money for some other things, but not for this. Let us discipline ourselves and know that COVID is real. Let nobody tell you that there is nothing like COVID. It’s real.”

It will be recalled that the federal government while placing restrictions on social gathering stated that the country cannot afford to return to lockdown.

In a similar light, the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who placed certain restrictions on activities in the state, however, stated that the state will not be returning to lockdown.