The plan to release awaiting trial inmates nationwide, fear of food shortage and the report of evacuation of Europeans are some of the trending stories in the Nigerian press on Friday.
Leadership reported that precautionary measures being taken by the federal government to combat the coronavirus pandemic have been extended to the prisons as the government directed the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) release all awaiting trial inmates in its custody.
Guardian said millions of Nigerians may be caught between a rock and a hard place, should federal and state authorities shut down the nation in a desperate bid to contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Punch reported that the Federal Government has unveiled that it was tracing 4,370 persons, who came into contact with people that were suffering from COVID-19.
This Day said that a chartered Air France Flight AF0986 Thursday evacuated 260 European citizens from Nigeria and additional 118 European citizens from other West African countries through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos.
Channels Television said that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate release of N15 billion to the Lagos State government and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to tackle the spread of coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country.
Quoting President Muhammadu Buhari, Nation said Nigerians should stay away from public gatherings, including religious events.
Daily Trust said the FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, has ordered businesses to close by 9pm and open only by 6am the following day starting from today.
Sun said the Defence Headquarters(DHQ) has intensified operations in the ongoing counterterrorism war in the Northeast as troops destroyed more logistics base and structures belonging to the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).
MM/abj/APA