The call by the house of representatives asking for a ban on all religious gatherings in the country to curb the spread of coronavirus may be listened to by President Muhammadu Buhari.

During Wednesday’s plenary session, the green chamber called on Buhari to halt the spread of coronavirus by banning religious gatherings.

However, a prayer for the federal government to shut all schools for two weeks and to ban all foreign airlines from entering Nigeria was rejected by the house.

The lawmakers also resolved to test all members and staff of the national assembly, as well as temporarily ban visitors from the legislative complex.

They asked for an agreement between Nigeria and countries certified free of the disease on the mass production and supply of test kits and other infrastructure needed to tackle the virus.

They lamented the ill-treatment reportedly meted out to a suspected coronavirus patient in Enugu state, and asked the ministry of health to henceforth ensure adequate care for those under quarantine.

Nigeria currently have eight cases of the coronavirus — five of which were confirmed on Wednesday.

Apart from banning travellers from 13 countries with over 1,000 cases of the virus, the federal government had also suspended foreign trips for public officials.