As cases of COVID-19 continue to be on the increase in Nigeria, the Ondo State Government on Friday said it could be forced to lock down the state if residents keep flouting safety guidelines put in place to prevent a spread of the virus.

Doyin Odebowale, Chairman of the state’s Special Task Force on COVID-19 Enforcement and Compliance, stated this in an interview in Akure, the state capital, on Friday.

Odebowale, who visited some mosques in the state during their Jumat service, said many of the worshippers were not thoroughly observing the social distancing directive.

According to him, the COVID-19 Committee was ready to meet with Muslim and other religious leaders in the state to enlighten them more on the need to observe COVID-19 protocols.  

He said, “We have been engaging the leadership and we hope there will be another engagement.

“We expect them to improve. There was not much social distancing and we are not satisfied.

“We are getting more cases and we are not happy. We don’t want a situation where government will lock down the state again. If it continues, the government will lock down the state.”

Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr Wahab Adegbenro, told SaharaReporters that the government was concerned about community transmission of the virus among residents.

He said that over 160 persons, who might have come in contact with the three new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state, were currently being traced.

Ondo State has recorded four deaths and discharged 21 patients while eight persons are currently receiving treatment at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Akure, for the virus.