Corona virus: What’s the logic in opening markets, shutting Churches? Odinkalu blasts FG

Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof Chidi Odinkalu, has decried the unnecessary tension the Nigerian government has been creating in its actions for the containment of the spread of coronavirus in the country, some of which infringes of the rights of citizens.

Prof Odinkalu decried that Nigeria’s approach to contain coronavirus has been more of creative panic, lack of preparation and dependency on overseas solutions that are not adapted to the realities of the country. He questioned the rationale in opening markets and closing churches and mosques as part of the government measures to forestall coronavirus infection.

The former National Human Rights Commission Chairman in an interview with SaharaReporters declared: “I want to ask where is the logic or science in opening markets and shutting churches and mosques?

“In these kinds of situations, you want the decisions of government to be consistent and to make sense because the government should not feel but must think before it acts. “Sadly, our whole disposition so far in this COVID-19 crisis has been underpinned by panic, lack of preparation and dependency on overseas solutions that are not adapted to our realities.”

The federal government and various state governments have placed restrictions on congregational worship in churches and mosques across the country as preventive measures against coronavirus spread. The governments restricted church gathering to 20 persons.

However, even in the period of lockdown, the number of positive coronavirus cases detected in the country has continued to rise.

Meanwhile, there have been pressures on governments to rescind the decision on the partial closure, which eventually translates to total closure of churches.