A former lawmaker representing Kogi West at the Senate, Senator Dino Melaye, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to shut down Lagos and Abuja without further delay over Coronavirus spread OTVNews has learnt.

He also said that government alone cannot fight the coronavirus pandemic, calling on wealthy Nigerians, multinationals, international oil companies (IOCs), and others to lend their financial support.

Melaye, former Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, FCT, made the call in Abuja on Tuesday.

The ex-lawmaker wants every Nigerian to act as if they already had the virus and see everyone as a carrier of the virus also.

“The responsibility lies with all of us. This is not about government alone or any particular agency of government; it is about all of us,” the Kogi-born politician said.

“Hence, all hands must be on deck to combat Coronavirus. It is not about the government; it is about humanity. Public health affects national development; hence it should not be politicised.

“Consequently, in furtherance to all measures and actions taken so far by the Federal Government to fight Coronavirus, I call on President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, lockdown the nation’s capital, Abuja and the nation’s commercial nerve centre, Lagos, via an Executive Order.

“This is necessary in the circumstance, in order to prevent further spread of the Coronavirus. There is no doubt that preventive measures are cheaper than treatment of any ailment, talk more of a global pandemic,” he said.