The Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, has said state governments, community and religious leaders will be responsible for the next phase of battle against COVID-19.

Mustapha, who also doubles as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, said the decision was due to the fact that Nigeria was currently experiencing community infection.

The SGF made the disclosure after he and members of the task force met President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Sunday.

Addressing State House Correspondents after the meeting, Mustapha disclosed that the Federal Government will only provide supervision and coordination, going further.

He said: “The ownership of the next stage will be the responsibility of the states because we have gone into community transmission.

“Where are the communities? The communities are in the states. So, the ownership of the next stage will be the responsibility of the states, the local government, the traditional institutions, the religious leaders at the different levels of our communities, because that is where the problem is.”