President Muhammdu Buhari has ordered a 14-day lockdown in Kano state to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The state, which has 77 confirmed COVID-19 cases, has recorded “strange deaths” in the last one week, creating confusion among residents.
The government of Kano, which had initially denied the rising deaths later described the situation as a serious but attributed them to acute fever, hypertension and diabetes.
In a nationwide broadcast on Monday, the president said the lockdown directive takes immediate effect.
“With regards to Kano, I have directed the enforcement of a total lockdown for a period of two weeks effective immediately,” he said.
“The federal government shall deploy all the necessary human, material and technical resources to support the state in controlling and containing the pandemic and preventing the risk of further spread to neighbouring states.”
Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of Kano, had earlier accused the federal government of not giving enough attention to his state.
He said the state was not getting the needed support and cooperation from the presidential task force on COVID-19.
Muhammad Garba, the Kano commissioner for information, later announced that process of “verbal autopsy” had began.
A team set up by the federal government has launched investigation to ascertain the cause of the deaths.
