Director–General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Salihu Mohammed Lukman, has warned that Nigeria would record worst casualties than America and Europe if the citizens continue to defy the lockdown ordered by the federal government to curtail the spread of Coronavirus in the country. PGF is an umbrella body of governors of states controlled by the All Progressives Congress (APC) party.

In a statement he issued in Abuja, titled, ‘Fight against spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria: Issues and factors hindering success’, Lukman suggested that the membership of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) should be expanded to include members of the National Assembly.

He further lamented the gravity of conspiracy theories and reluctance of the people to key into the battle to curb the spread of COVID-19, arguing that this had hampered the fight against the pandemic.

“The fact is that given the poor state of our hospitals, if we are unable to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria, the experiences of Italy, Spain, United States, France, etc. will be child’s play. Should that happen, records of cases and deaths could be phenomenal. Combinations of high incidences and poor records of citizens in the country having medical conditions bordering on tuberculosis, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, etc. it is hard to imagine how, as a nation we want to risk such a possibility,” Lukman noted.

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