COVID-19: 12 new cases came from Benin Republic into Nigeria

Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire [Twitter/@OsagieEhanire]

The 12 newly-reported cases of COVID-19 are Nigerians who came into the country via Benin Republic.

According to the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, while having a media briefing on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, said they were discovered when a bus of over 100 Nigerian passengers were intercepted the authorities.

The Minister said, they were headed for Osun State.

"They said they were coming from Ivory Coast or Ghana, I'm not quite sure.

"It's among those groups that we have 12 immediate new entrances, so those are imported cases," he said.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced earlier on Wednesday that 12 new cases were recorded in Osun (9), Edo (2), and Ekiti (1).

Nigeria has already banned international flights into the country and locked its land borders.

Despite the closure, Ehanire said the new cases had to be let into the country because they are Nigerians and couldn't be denied.

The minister, however urged Nigerians abroad to stay where they are unless it's absolutely important to travel.

"The travellers put themselves at risk, so my advise is stay where you are and not take the risk. Unless you're walking," he said.

Twelve new cases of #COVID19 have been reported in Nigeria; 9 in Osun, 2 in Edo and 1 in Ekiti State

As at 12:30 pm 1st April there are 151 confirmed cases of #COVID19 reported in Nigeria. Nine have been discharged with two deaths pic.twitter.com/SVxZ4H3pBd

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) April 1, 2020