On Saturday Governor Mohammed Badaru of Jigawa announced the immediate reopening of state boundaries with others that were shut down on March 24 due to coronavirus pandemic.
The governor, who made the announcement at a news conference in Dutse, also said it would now be allowed to move from other states to Jigawa under strict compliance with COVID-19 protocols.
The reopening of borders came a week after all weekly markets in the state that were shut nine weeks ago were reopened by the State government.
Reports from the state reveals that 307 out of the state’s 317 COVID-19 patients were discharged while one is still being treated, and nine died.
“We are full of prayers not to retreat back to those anxious and uncertain moments of the past.
“We have only one coronavirus patient with active disease while the remaining in the isolation centre have recovered and been discharged.
“We also thank God that in the last four days there has been no reported case of COVID-19 in the state. With ardent prayers and support of the Jigawa people, we are determined to sustain the tempo,” Mr Badaru said.
However, the governor said the state had temporarily closed the Fanisau Isolation Centre, pending the recording of a new case of the disease.
He further announced that N1billion COVID-19 grant had been donated to the state by the Federal Government, in addition to 150 truck loads of grain as palliatives to cushion the effects of the state lockdown.
Mr Badaru said the grains were delivered to the state through the National Emergency and Management Agency (NEMA), adding that 11 of the 150 truck loads had already arrived in the state.
“We will use the already established method of distribution through the polling units, to get to the less privileged, in order to lessen the hardship faced by these groups of individuals,” he said.
However, the governor said schools would stay closed in the state, pending improvement in the country’s coronavirus pandemic situation.