Churches in Kaduna were on Sunday shut, despite the celebration of Easter, following the 24 hours lockdown imposed by Kaduna state government to curb the spread of Coronavirus disease amidst fears of community transmission in the state.
Kaduna state recorded the sixth Covid-19 case on Friday, barely two weeks after Governor Nasir el-Rufai tested positive as the first index case, the latest case according to the state government, is believed to be community transmission since he has no contact with any of the first five cases.
When Blueprint went round Kaduna metropolis on Sunday, all Churches were locked with only the churches’ security guards outside the gates to prevent unauthorized entry into the churches.
At St. Andrew Catholic Church, Kakuri, where Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukkah presided before moving to Sokoto Diocese, the security man told our Correspondent that, he has been instructed not to open the church for any worshipper except the cleaner.
“It is Easter period, but the church Leadership has instructed me not to open the church to anyone, except the senior reverends who may come to do one thing or the other and the woman who comes around to sweep the church premises. This is the third week now that, the church has not had service, because of Coronavirus. We don’t want to endanger the lives of worshippers,” he said.
Prior to the curfew imposed on the state, Kaduna state government had partially closed markets and prohibited all forms of gatherings, church and mosque congregations, weddings, naming ceremonies or even burial to stem community transmission.
The government had threatened that, any group, church or mosque that violates the order prohibiting gathering of large crowd will have its property demolished, land title revoked and people involved prosecuted.
Meanwhile, some Christians who spoke to Blueprint said they have been told by their Pastors to celebrate Easter at home and pray that God brings an end to the Coronavirus pandemic.
