Military authorities thursday denied any plans to enforce a nationwide lockdown friday.

It said media reports to that effect were speculative and unfounded.

Some reports had claimed the Nigerian Army via a memo issued to army formations was preparing to forcibly transfer the sick to hospital and enforce curbs on movement to try to shield the country from the COVID-19 and is leasing equipment for “possible mass burial,”according to an army memo seen by Reuters.

But a statement issued by the Nigerian Army Headquarters said such publication was “false, vexatious” and designed to cause chaos.

“It has come to the notice of the Nigerian Army and the general public some misleading publications in a section of the media with the title: ‘Federal Government to Enforce Military Lockdown on Friday.’

“The Nigerian Army wishes to dissociate itself from such false, speculative and vexatious publication designed by certain mischievous elements to create chaos, panic and disaffection in the society that could only serve the ulterior motives of its promoters,” it said.

The statement signed by Army spokesman, Col. Sagir Musa, said the document in question was a proactive directive for the army to prepare for possible escalation of the pandemic.

“To put the record straight, the document being quoted was a proactive directive for the Nigerian Army to prepare for possible escalation of the COVID -19 based on the happenings around the world on the pandemic.
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