The Federal Government had eased the ban on religious worship center and has allowed for them to reopen but the Lagos State Government has ruled out the immediate reopening of churches and mosques in the state. Similarly, Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Dr Raji AbdulRazaq, disclosed yesterday that the state had not lifted the ban on religious activities as well as Ogun state.
The Commissioner for Home Affairs, Prince Anofiu Elegushi, said on Tuesday during a press briefing to commemorate the first year in office of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu that Lagos being the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic and rules out the possibility of reopening the worship center
He said, “Even before the pronouncement by Federal Government, we have been having meetings with the religious leaders, we even had one with Safety Commission, looking at the possibility of reopening of religious houses.
”We also had one with the leaders of the two faiths and I want to tell you categorically that at that meeting, the possibility of reopening religious houses was ruled out totally.
”They claimed that they cannot take such responsibility of ensuring that only 20 or 50 people are praying behind them.
“Like an Imam said, he doesn’t know what goes on at his back immediately he is leading a prayer. He said if more than 20 or 50 people were staying at his back, he was not going to take responsibility for their presence.
“So, at the meeting, we ruled out in totality the issue of reopening the religious houses until we have a clear coast for us to do so. The Federal Government mentioned it, but it never ruled out the state in achieving that pronouncement. So, all states will have to look at the possibility of doing so in their respective states.”