Major streets in Ilorin, the Kwara capital, were deserted on Friday evening as the total lockdown of the state announced by the government took effect.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government ordered a total lockdown in all the 16 local government areas of the state to curtail the spread of the dreaded coronavirus pandemic.
NAN also reports that Kwara has recorded two cases of the COVID-19 currently receiving treatment at Sobi Specialist Hospital, while the Technical Committee on COVID-19 are tracing 80 persons that may have contact with the index cases.
A NAN correspondent who went round the major streets by 5.30p.m. reports that people were rushing back home to beat the 6 o’clock deadline for the commencement of the lockdown
Security agents were also seen on major roads and junctions to enforce the lockdown.
At the A Division Roundabout, policemen and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) were stationed to enforce the order.
Roads were barricaded at Challenge, Post Office roundabout and Maraba junctions where motorists with no genuine reasons to be on the road were stopped, while some were turned back.
Many commuters were also stranded and had to trek the distance to their homes.
Petrol stations and medicine stores were also shut down, despite the exception extended to them.
A patent medicine seller on Muritala Mohammed Road, simply called Mummy Adizat said she has to close her shop for fear of being arrested for flouting the lockdown order.
She said she would open her shop on Saturday if she was convinced that police would not harass medicine sellers.
