The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Lagos State chapter, has revealed how God saved a minimum of 30 million Nigerians who were marked for death from the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Chairman of CAN, Apostle Alexander Bamgbola made this know in a chat with our correspondent after the Lagos State government gave persimmon for the full reopening of churches across the state.

Banbhola said that the prayers were responsible for the minimal effects of the virus in the state.

Bamgbola said, “By the end of February and early March when this thing started, I had access to privileged information from America that a minimum of 40 million Africans would die from this virus and 30 million of them will be Nigerians. But we serve a living God.

“Those who say Nigeria is the most corrupt nation always conclude that ‘one thing they do is to pray’. They have seen that we serve a living God. We thank the governor for listening to us. He has done well after looking at all the variables.”

The cleric, however, added that CAN would ask worship centres to keep to all safety measures to prevent further spread of COVID-19.

However, the decision to reopen worship centres has not been well-received by the Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos chapter, who described the decision as hasty.

Speaking to one of our correspondents, the Chairman, Lagos NMA Committee on COVID-19 Response, Dr Japhet Olugbodi, said the state should have waited a while before the full reopening of churches.

He said, “I think we should have tarried a little bit and see what comes out of the reopening of the airports. The strain of COVID-19 in Nigeria is different from the one in some countries, and since we’ve opened the airport, we may have people bringing in another strain of the virus that is different and deadlier than the one in the country.

“We should have seen how that goes first before reopening the economy fully. I understand that people are hard-pressed, but there is a popular saying that goes thus, ‘safety first.’ I think we could have tarried a bit till about another month after reopening of the airports before the full reopening of the economy.”