Uzodinma relaxes lockdown to buy food, Ikpeazu extends Abia’s by seven days

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has relaxed the lockdown on Friday, April 10, 2020 (today) to enable the people and residents of the state to buy food items for the Easter celebrations.

A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, disclosed that consequently food markets and supermarkets would be allowed to open from 6am to 6pm today.

It advised all concerned are advised to adhere strictly to the time allowed and ensure that they shop only for food items, saying boutiques, jewelry shops and all other non-food markets and outlets would remain shut.

The state government insisted that the people of the state should adhere strictly to the order meant for Friday as the lockdown resumes from Saturday, April 11,2020.

Relatedly, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has extended the lockdown he imposed on Abia State to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic by one week. The first restriction expired on Tuesday.

Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chris Ezem, who made the announcement in Umuahia, stated that the decision was to further confirm that the state was yet to contract the epidemic, because the normal incubation period for the virus is 14 days.

He said while the NCDC was still tracking over 2,000 suspected cases across the federation, there were yet confirmed cases in Abia.