Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has disclosed that mortuaries in Lagos are filled as relatives are unable to hold funerals due to the lockdown in the state.
Sanwo-olu during a press briefing on Saturday, April 25, 2020 said the mortuaries need to be decongested urgently, adding that the state of the mortuaries are as a result of coronavirus but the inability of people to gather for funerals due to the ban by the government.
“Because of this inability to hold funerals, occasioned by the restriction on movement, the mortuaries in Lagos State are now full and in urgent need of decongestion. Let me make it clear at this point that these are not Covid-19 deaths,” he said.
“I am now constrained to make this appeal to all Lagosians who have the corpses of loved ones in the mortuaries, to please go ahead and schedule these funerals.
“The mortuaries in Lagos are not full because of Covid-19 deaths –the total number of Covid-19 deaths in Lagos as at today is 20; the only reason the mortuaries are full at this time is because funerals are not being held, and have not been held for most of the last two months,” Mr Sanwo-Olu added.
The governor said even though funerals are on the list of activities exempted from the lockdown restrictions, Lagosians can hold or attend funeral ceremonies in the state as long as they comply with the requirements of the state, which are as follows:
• The total number of persons at the funeral, including officiating religious leaders, must not exceed 20.
• Physical distancing must be maintained at the funeral ceremony.
• All attendees/mourners must use masks and ensure they wash their hands after the ceremony.
• There must be no receptions or parties to accompany the funerals.
