Nigerian army prepares for coronavirus lockdown, mass burials

By Paul Carsten

ABUJA (Reuters) – The Nigerian Army is preparing to forcibly transfer the sick to hospital and enforce curbs on movement to try to shield the country from coronavirus, and is leasing equipment for “possible mass burial”, according to an army memo seen by Reuters.

The memo from Army headquarters also outlines plans to protect government food storage from looters as Africa’s most populous nation braces for the illness to spread further in the country.

“Following the rise and continuous spread in cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Nigeria, the (Chief of Army Staff) has deemed it necessary for all to take protective measures to ensure the safety of (Nigerian Army) personnel and their families,” the memo said.

There are currently 46 confirmed cases in Nigeria, and one death, but the infection has hit the top levels of society, infecting President Muhammadu Buhari’s chief of staff.

With a population of 200 million, 20 million of whom are packed in the commercial capital of Lagos, many fear the virus could spread quickly without containment.

The memo said the army is suspending all leave passes for all personnel and called for them to be on “maximum security alert and be ready for deployment.”

The virus has swept across the world, killing thousands and forcing millions into quarantine. Several nations have activated armed forces to help combat it.

South Africa deployed its army to enforce a 21-day lockdown that begins this week, and U.S. President Donald Trump activated the National Guard in New York, California and Washington.[ nL1N2BG1N5]

The U.S., French and Moroccan armies have set up field hospitals, and Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the army to carry out drills to increase readiness to fight coronavirus if necessary.

On Wednesday, Nigeria’s Rivers state governor said he would close the borders to human movement in or out of the state starting on Thursday to protect it from coronavirus.

The state’s capital city, Port Harcourt, is the gateway to the oil-rich Delta region, and companies such as Nigeria LNG and Royal Dutch Shell have key offices in the city. Neither company immediately commented on how the closure might affect their operations.

Oil provides more than half of Nigeria’s government revenue.

(Additional reporting by Tife Owolabi in Yenagoa and Libby George in Lagos, Writing by Libby George, Editing by William Maclean)