By Dipo Olowookere
There are huge concerns over the number of confirmed cases of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) recorded in Nigeria.
According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the country reported 436 new cases of the virus on Sunday, June 21, 2020.
The cases recorded yesterday increased the total confirmed infections in Nigeria to 20,244, with the total number of deaths now at 518 and 6,879 persons discharged.
The NCDC said in the last 24 hours, Lagos State recorded 169 fresh COVID-19 cases, Oyo State had 52 cases, Plateau State had 31 cases, while Imo State reported 29 cases.
In addition, Kaduna State reported 28 cases, Ogun State had 23, Abuja got 18, Enugu State reported 18, Bauchi State had 17, while Bayelsa State reported in 14.
Also, Rivers State recorded 8 cases, Osun and Kano States reported 6 cases each, Edo State got 5, Benue State had 5, Adamawa State reported 3, Borno State had 2, while Abia and Ekiti State recorded one case each.
Cases of the disease have been on the rise since the federal government eased the lockdown it declared in Lagos, Abuja and Ogun State.
When it lifted the movement restrictions, the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 led by Mr Boss Mustapha said citizens should adhere to some guidelines.
Some of these rules are the use of face mask in public places, social distancing of at least two metres, closure of event centres, amongst others.
However, some of these guidelines have not been adhered to by residents of the country and some politicians have not helped matters too.
Government officials and politicians have blatantly violated the rules by holding gathering of more than 20 persons, with people flocking around them without observing the social distancing directive.
This was first experienced when the former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, late Mr Abba Kyari, was buried in Abuja, where social distancing rule was violated by attendees.
The late powerful President’s aide died in Lagos after contracting the virus when he travelled abroad; first to Germany to the United Kingdom to Egypt and to Nigeria in March 2020.
Few days ago, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his deputy, Mr Femi Hamzat, were at the installation of the new Oniru of Iruland, Lagos, Mr Gbolahan Lawal, where there were over 50 people in the premises of the event.
Last week, the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, who said he would not allow gathering of more than 20 people in the state, had several persons around him when he decamped from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Also, some Governors in Nigeria, despite the ban on inter-state movement, have been travelling for political meetings. Recently, some of them were in Lagos to meet the national leader of the APC, Mr Bola Tinubu.
Last Monday, a prominent politician in Lagos, Senator Bayo Osinowo, died and it was reported that his death was related to COVID-19.
But despite the restriction in the movement of corpses from one state to another, his remains were moved to Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, where he was buried.
Business Post understands that if the cases continue to rise exponentially, there might be a second lockdown of the country, though Mr Mustapha has said this may not be considered by government.
Adedapo Adesanya 
Aduragbemi Omiyale