“Nigerians romancing with COVID-19 in the manner of Tom and Jerry”- Boss Mustapha laments

Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha has lamented the flagrant disregard for the protocols developed by the PTF to contain the spread of the virus, stressing that some persons are “already romancing with Covid -19 in the manner of Tom and Jerry”.
He made the observations while speaking during the briefing of the task force on Thursday, frowning at the lackadaisical attitude of many Nigerians towards the pandemic, saying that he would return Nigeria to lockdown if he had the powers to do so.
Mustapha said that although a return to lockdown might not be popular, it was the right thing to do considering the attitude of some Nigerians to the virus.
Mustapha said: “You want to hear the truth? If it were within my powers this is the time to lockdown. Lockdown might not be a popular thing but this is the time to lockdown because I can see the attitude of Tom and Jerry, we are already romancing with Covid -19 and it is not good.”
Mustapha added: “I saw a real romance with Covid -19 today. Romance of people behaving as if the matter (virus) is over. It is a very serious issue and my appeal to Nigerians listening is that; let us take this thing (virus) serious. By now, with 500 plus fatalities you can’t be ignorant, you can’t say you don’t know of anybody that has fallen victim either by way of name or pictures but today they are no more.”
The SGF therefore pleaded with Nigerians to continue to take responsibility to reduce community transmission of the virus.
He urged Nigerians to take the virus serious and continue to observe the guidelines developed by the task force.
Latest figures from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) showed that Nigeria has 22, 020 confirmed cases of COVID -19 with 542 deaths from the deadly virus.
The PTF is expected to submit its assessment of the first three months of waging war against coronavirus pandemic to President Muhammadu Buhari next week.