The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has cautioned Nigerians on the need to abide by the stay-at-home directive of the Federal Government or face the consequences.

Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Dr. Rufus Ebegba, noted with dismay at the flagrant abuse of the directive, as part of efforts to curb and eliminate the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

Ebegba said the pandemic is now spreading into communities, a situation that is becoming alarming “as community spread of the disease will be difficult to trace and manage due to the nature of some communities in the country.

“This virus has started transmitting into communities and this is going to be bad for us as a nation, if it is not properly managed. It can only be managed with the cooperation of the citizens.”

He said the community spread of the virus is dangerous, as contact tracing will be difficult and some people will not show any immediate symptoms, which will in turn cause further spread of the virus, spelling doom for the country.

“We need the cooperation of every individual to eliminate this harmful biological agent. The President has given directives and it is the duty of every Nigerian to do his/her part by following the directive of staying at home, maintaining social distancing and abiding by other hygienic practices.

“When everyone is at home and social distance is maintained, the virus will stop spreading and cases will drastically reduce. COVID-19 is in battle with humanity, but our collective will, commitment and faithfulness to directives will go a long way for us to overcome this scourge that has threatened our existence.”

He appealed to Nigerians to endure and be patient with government, as it is doing everything possible to ensure that people are safe and their welfare is taken care of.

“Nigerians should ensure they keep abiding by the safety precautionary measures in order not to contract the novel virus, as there is no cure and the only way to stop the spread is for everyone to fight in unity,” he said.

He added that the NBMA is in synergy with relevant agencies in ensuring that efforts are made to combat the pandemic, as all hands are on deck to ensure that COVID-19 is contained and eliminated in the country.