Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: Worship Centres

  • Shettima visits Maiduguri blast victims, promises tighter protection for worship centres

    Shettima visits Maiduguri blast victims, promises tighter protection for worship centres

    Photo Credit: The Punch
    2025-12-27 07:00:00

    According to Saturday PUNCH, Vice President Kashim Shettima visited survivors of the Maiduguri mosque bombing and assured residents that Nigeria will defeat terrorism and restore stability.

    The visit focused on victims receiving treatment after the explosion, with Shettima urging calm while promising sustained federal–state collaboration to protect places of worship and civilian centres.

    He also framed the attack as a test of national resolve, insisting that security agencies would intensify operations and improve intelligence-led prevention as communities head into the new year.

    Beyond condolences, the trip signalled a renewed political push for coordinated security measures in Borno and neighbouring hotspots, especially around markets, mosques, and other high-footfall areas.

    Reuters and the Associated Press also reported the incident, with Reuters describing it as a “suspected suicide bombing” that killed worshippers and injured others, while AP said investigators found “fragments of a suicide vest” at the scene.

    Echotitbits take:
    This is a familiar cycle in the North-East—attack, reassurance, then a security surge. What to watch next is whether the promised coordination produces visible changes: tighter perimeter control at worship centres, quicker incident response, and disruption of supply lines for IED materials.

    Source: The Punch — December 27, 2025 (https://punchng.com/nigeria-will-conquer-terrorism-says-shettima/?utm_medium=web&utm_source=rss.punchng.com)
    The Punch December 27, 2025

  • Update: Gov. Sanwo-Olu reopens Lagos worship centres Aug. 7, vows to monitor

    Update: Gov. Sanwo-Olu reopens Lagos worship centres Aug. 7, vows to monitor

    The over three months COVID-19 ban on worship centres in Lagos will be lifted from August 7.

    The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced this during a briefing on COVID-19 at the State House Marina.

    The Governor stated that places of worship that that were hitherto shut to curtail the spread of the novel Coronavirus will reopen for religious activities as from Friday, August 7, 2020.

    Sanwo-Olu stated that while Mosques will be reopened next week Friday, Churches will follow suit on Sunday, August 9.

    The Governor however emphasised that, religious leaders must make available hand sanitisers, thermometer guns, adding that the state government will ensure that social distancing is maintained.

    According to the Governor: “We will only be allowing 50 per cent of their capacity at either the church or the mosque. Churches that have Saturday worship day will also be allowed to start holding their Saturday worship.

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    “We must reiterate that places of worship are only permitted to have their regular once a week service on designated days.

    Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu during a briefing on August 1, 2020 announced that places of worship will reopen from August 7.

    The governor vowed that the state government will closely monitor and observe the compliance level of religious bodies before taking the next steps.

    Decrease In Positive Cases
    On the level of COVID-19 cases in the state, Governor Sanwo-Olu announced that the past two weeks witnessed a decline in fresh infections.

    While noting that the state government successfully tested 9,000 samples in the week ending July 26, the governor explained the figures represented 50 per cent increase in the 6,000 tested samples in the preceding week.

    According to him, more testing of suspected COVID-19 cases have been made possible with the creation of additional laboratories in the state.

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    He is however optimistic that the state is winning the battle against the dreaded virus owing to the increase in the number of tested samples.

    “We must, however, mention that we have seen a gradual decrease in the positivity rate in Lagos State over the last two weeks which combines with our increase in the testing numbers.

    “We will continue to fine-tune our strategy and our efforts to build on our successes and close all existing gaps if any.”

    Meanwhile, in a fresh statistics released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Friday night, Lagos recorded 78 fresh COVID-19 cases trailing the FCT with 93 cases.

  • COVID-19: Ogun –  Gov. Abiodun reopens worship centres Aug 14

    COVID-19: Ogun –  Gov. Abiodun reopens worship centres Aug 14

    The Governor Dapo Abiodun-led Ogun State Government has announced that worship centres would tentatively reopen across the state from August 14.

    Giving an update on strategies his administration was employing to combat the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Abiodun explained that the decisions were reached after rigorous deliberations.

    According to him, “After rigorous deliberations by the related committee, I can announce that worship centres will tentatively reopen on Friday, 14th August, on the condition that they adhere to agreed guidelines, failing which we shall not hesitate to impose severe sanctions on erring centres.

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    “These are on the use of face masks and hand sanitisers; distancing; and provision of medical, toilet and hygiene facilities including Veronica buckets.

    “Others include: Muslims should perform ablution at home and go to mosque with personal praying mats; certified medical personnel to check worshippers’ temperature before admittance to venues; handshakes, hugs and air conditioners to be avoided in all centres; provision of isolation rooms, as well as digital cameras to record services, in each centre; and adequate medical support to be provided for sick persons.

    “Other measures are: duration of services not to be more than an hour and a half, while intervals in the case of multiples should be of the same duration; constant sensitisation on COVID-19, its dangers, preventive measures, and especially the susceptibility of the elderly, to be included in sermons; and large worship centres (with more than 200 worshippers in a given service) to further pursue concurrence with Ogun State Government Committee, towards ensuring ventilation and effective entry and exit management procedure and the avoidance of item sharing during Holy Communion.”

    The governor said it’s worrisome that Ogun State, like Nigeria, has been witnessing an increase in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

    He noted that despite his administration having screened over 10,000 persons and also tested about 5,611 people as at July 28, the state has 1,326 confirmed cases; out of which 1,068 have been discharged; while the state has an unfortunate record of 23 related fatalities; with 227 active cases.

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    Abiodun urged the residents of Ogun State to adhere to advisories rolled out by health authorities.

    On the reopening of schools, the governor said despite having initiated e-classes for students, “we understand the uniqueness of physical classes, so we have made available Risk Assessment Forms on ogmoest.org to public and private schools to evaluate readiness for the adoption of the Federal Government’s resolve to allow SS3 students resume on 4th August to prepare for SSCE (to begin on the 17th).”

    He added that “a mandatory virtual training is also being organised for school staff on decontamination, medical equipment, toilet facilities, flexibility of closing times, and special requirements for boarding schools.”

    Idowu Sowunmi