Posted on: 12:43 Mon, 11 May 2020



The Anap Foundation COVID-19 Think Tank has told President Buhari not to bow to pressure from religious leaders to reopen churches.

The group, however, called on the federal government to relax the curfew imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19.

President Buhari relaxed a five-week lockdown in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun States on May 4 and ordered an 8pm to 6am curfew across the country.

In a statement, Atedo Peterside and Abubakar Mohammed, chairman and vice-chairman of Anap Foundation COVID-19 Think Tank, asked the government to adjust the timing.

“After reviewing situation reports from various towns and villages across the nation, our conclusion is that governments must continue to monitor and define the

extent to which they will modify partial lockdowns to allow for some economic activities thereby ensuring that the right balance between public health and economic sustainability is maintained.

“We note the recent clamour by some religious leaders to allow physical congregation since limited economic activities have commenced.

Worship can take place personally, at home, or virtually and we firmly believe that it is not yet time to allow congregational religious activities.

Religious and social gatherings, ceremonies and economic activities which have a strong propensity for physical contact should not be the priority at this time,” it read.

The presiding bishop of Living Faith Worldwide, David Oyedepo, earlier this week questioned the ban on religious gatherings amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oyedepo claimed that the “voice of darkness” influenced the ban on gatherings in churches.