WARRI: A Nigerian man has been shot dead for allegedly flouting a stay-at-home order aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus, police and a lawmaker said on Friday.

Nigeria has introduced a raft of measures, including lockdowns of major cities, to try to contain the virus, which has infected 184 people, two of them fatally.

Joseph Pessu, a resident of the oil city of Warri in the southern state of Delta, was killed on Thursday by a soldier deployed to enforce the lockdown, the sources said.

“The incident occurred yesterday with the youths protesting,” state police spokesman Onome Onowakpoyeya said.

Angry young people lit fires in the streets but police later restored calm, he said.

In a statement late Thursday, the lawmaker representing the area condemned the incident and called for the perpetrators to be prosecuted.

“Those who are authorised to bear arms in defence of the nation ought to understand that this comes with responsibility, especially when human life is sacrosant,” said Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2020