The National Council of Muslim Youth Organizations (NACOMYO), Plateau Chapter said that COVID-19 lockdown was rendering Nigerians poor and vulnerable to partake in Federal Government’s planned palliatives.

The council said this on Wednesday in a statement signed by its secretary, Mr Ali Ali and made available to newsmen in Jos.

“We are urging government at all levels to as a matter of urgency and of public importance send palliatives to the entire citizenry, not only the poor and vulnerable, since the lockdown has brought hunger in many homes

“Government should know that each and every individual is now poor and vulnerable since the lockdown affects all and sundry in the Country as a whole.

“The Artisans, Okada riders, taxi driver, tricycle operators, the labourers, farmers, traders, Block molders etc including civil servants, have been rendered poor and vulnerable.

“While we are fast approaching the Ramadan period, NACOMYO is calling on government at all levels, to be more proactive in the area of providing palliatives to the masses, because Nigerians are really hungry,” Ali stated.

The council spokesman noted that in Plateau, the lockdown, which enabled the state government to fumigate the entire state, has brought about hunger to many homes in the state.

He said, “Although Plateau has not recorded any incidence of the pandemic, the government deemed it necessary to be proactive to secure the state, and it was accorded total compliance by the residents.

“It therefore behooves on the state government to play its own part, by putting smiles on faces of the people through the provision of basic social amenities to cushion impact of the lockdown on the residents,’’ he stated.

Ali called on people of the state with particular emphasis to the Muslim youths to observe the entire guidelines as listed by the NCDC which include; regular washing of hands with soap and running water or the use of hand sanitizers to stay safe.

He used the opportunity to congratulate Christians for successful Easter celebration and urged them to put the state, the country and the entire world to prayers against the deadly Coronavirus pandemic.

According to him, “We also pray for the quick recovery of those infected by this pandemic and whole heatedly sympathise with families of those who lost their lives as a result of the pandemic.”

“We wish to extend our profound gratitude to Gov. Simon Lalong, for his proactive response to prevent breakdown of the deadly virus in the state by imposing a total lockdown in the entire state for seven days,” Ali stated. (NAN)