JOHANNESBURG - Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has instructed all state governors to work with a task-team appointed to work on curtailing the spread of the coronavirus.
"To succeed in containing this pandemic we have to improve collaboration," Buhari posted on his Twitter account.
"We need to continue to educate and persuade Nigerians to accept the reality of the situation, and do all that is necessary to stay safe."
Meanwhile, the government in Taraba said it had eased some of its restrictions on movement as the state no longer had an active case of Covid-19.
“All the cases previously reported were successfully managed by our frontline health workers and have all been discharged and they have rejoined their families. No fatalities were recorded in the process," a statement quoted deputy governor Haruna Manu as saying.
He said all religious activities could resume, although congregation members would be required to comply with strict Covid-19 protocol.
“Christians and Muslims are also free to resume their religious worships in churches and mosques," Manu said.
"In doing so, however, they must ensure the observance of the rule of social distancing and all other safety protocols such as hand washing, use of sanitizers and facemasks.”
He added that residents would now be allowed to visit neighbourhood markets and purchase food items and other essential goods.
“Beginning from this week, Friday, Saturday and Sunday are now free days during which people can go out and attend to their personal needs. The time allowed is between 8:00 am. and 6:00 pm," Manu said, adding that the lockdown remained in force the rest of the week.
He stressed that interstate movements were still restricted and transgressors would be severely penalised.
In its latest update, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control reported 216 new cases of Covid-19, bringing the West African country's tally to 6,175.
Some 191 people have died of complications relating to the virus, while 1,644 have been discharged.