Organisers of the Nigeria Professional Football League, LMC, have suspended the competition until further notice due to the outbreak of the COVID-19, also known as cronavirus.
The LMC said Wednesday that the move was in line with global preventive measures against the pandemic which has spread to more than 160 countries.
“Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) has been suspended till further notice in line with global health preventive protocol against the Coronavirus Disease (COVID 19),” a statement from the LMC read.
“In suspending remaining league matches, the League Management Company (LMC) said it would review the decision after consulting the nation’s health authorities, namely, the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).”
The country’s health minister, Osagie Enahire, announced earlier in the day that three of the five new cases, including a mother and child, came from the United States, while the two others, also from the US, came into the country via land border.
By virtue of the new cases, the total number of confirmed cases in Nigeria, as of Wednesday, March 18, is eight.
Also, the Nigerian government issued a travel ban on the United States, United Kingdom, China and 10 other countries over the spread of the coronavirus.
The country’s Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, announced the ban at a media briefing on Wednesday.
He said that the ban would take effect on Friday, March 20, and it would last for four weeks and subject to review.
Other countries affected are Japan, Iran, Switzerland, Norway, the Netherlands, France, South Korea, Germany, Italy and Spain.
The Nigerian government also announced the temporary suspension of all visas issued to citizens from these countries.
Global deaths and infections from virus have surpassed those inside China, where the outbreak was first recorded, for the first time since late last year.
More than 175,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported, with major outbreaks in mainland China, Italy, Iran, and South Korea.
Over 6,700 people have died from the disease and more than 77,000 have recovered.