Nigeria: Niger state eases COVID-19 restrictions

ANKARA (AA) - The governor of the Nigerian state of Niger announced Tuesday an easing of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions on banks, markets as well as other business activities, local media reported.

A ban on the movement of commercial motorcycle operators will remain in place, according to the local media.

Governor Abubakar Bello also announced an easing of intra-state travel, the Ripples Nigeria website reported.

The decision includes preventive directive such as the mandatory use of face masks in public places as well as physical distancing, which will be supervised by security agencies, according to the report.

The restriction on movement will be imposed from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. local time, while the movement of petroleum products, agricultural produce, manufactured goods as well as essential services are allowed.

The virus tally in the West African country stands at 12,801 with 361 deaths and 4,040 recoveries, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

The initial six-week lockdown which ended June 1 has been replaced with a second phase four-week lockdown from June 2 - 29 by the COVID-19 Presidential Taskforce.

New regulations include a ban on more than 20 people outside of workplace gatherings, managed access to markets and locations of economic activity, mandatory use of face masks and mandatory provision of sanitizers and hand washing facilities in public.

Conditional relaxation of restriction on places of worship was also announced.

Isolation of residents with underlying medical conditions and a ban on inter-state travel will continue except for movement of agricultural produce, petroleum products, manufactured goods and essential services.