Oluwaseye Ogunsanya and Afeez Rabiu

FULL TEXT

A viral WhatsApp broadcast message claimed that the “Federal Government” has set out a roadmap for easing COVID-19 restrictions. Although, the message does not carry “Nigeria Federal Government” but the rate at which it was shared by users implied that the message is related to Nigeria.

The broadcast message claimed that the Federal Government roadmap to ease Covid-19 restrictions will be set out in 5 phases. These phases according to the message will be on the 3-week review process, the current phases would commence on the following dates:
Phase 1 – 18th May, Phase 2 – 8th June, Phase 3 – 29th June, Phase 4 – 20th July, Phase 5 – 10th August
It also added that if coronavirus cases begin to increase, the government will revert to the restrictions set out in the previous stage listing a wide range of businesses, public places, and activities to be eased in each phase.


VERIFICATION

A check on Google revealed that the message is not in any way related to Nigeria but India. A further check on an Indian news website also confirmed the claim to be false “the Press Information Bureau of India has clarified the claim to be false. It further said the road map might belong to some other country but not India.”
The website also quoted Indian Prime Minister, Nirandra Modi to have hinted on ‘Lockdown 4.0’ in an address to the nation. He said the new rules of Lockdown 4.0 will be out before May 18. “After discussing with the state governments, a new approach to Lockdown 4.0 will be decided.”

In Nigeria, recall that President Muhammadu Buhari on April 27 announced the easing of lockdown measures imposed on FCT, Lagos, and Ogun effective from May 4, 2020.
However, the president has approved the extension of Phase One of the eased restriction by two weeks after the initial one elapsed today.
The broadcast message was widely in circulation, aimed at convincing the Nigerian populace on the said roadmap or plan on the lockdown easing.

People’s Check-in its verification searched for any official backing to the said document and there were none. It was noted as well that there was no source attributed to the broadcast message, therefore, making it not tangible enough to be held as authentic.
An inquiry put through the ministry of information also yields no form of affirmation of the claim.

If you have any information you want to verify, contact our Official WhatsApp account – 09077420450

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