NCDC Asks Security Forces To Enforce COVID-19 Protocols

Following the decline in compliance with the safety measures of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has called on security forces to enforce the safety protocols during the festive season.

This was disclosed by the centre during a virtual interactive session with journalists in Abuja on Friday. Adding that 45 cases of the omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus had so far been detected in the country.

The NCDC, in a directive signed by its Director-General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, stated, “The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Presidential Committee on COVID-19, the Federal Ministry of Health as well as the NCDC and its partners are intensifying communication efforts to remind Nigerians of the risk we face and the need to take collective responsibility to reduce the transmission of the virus."

“Security agencies are encouraged to ensure consistency of the messages to the community, as generated by relevant authorities as well as identify the right channels of communication. These include the Federal Ministry of Health, state Ministries of Health and the NCDC.

“We urge security personnel to be aware of the high risk of spread of COVID-19 and the great risk of exposure occasioned by their jobs and to ensure that they are fully vaccinated, including booster doses.”

A few days ago, the NCDC, declared that Nigeria had entered a fourth wave of the pandemic following a 500 percent increase in cases in the past two weeks. As the Presidential Steering Committee also declared a limit on religious gatherings and threatened to introduce more restrictions following an increase in the deadly cases.