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A woman wears a face mask and sanitises her hands before entering the Holy Cross Cathedral in Lagos. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2FADB5ZF3FOJHGLROP7CGHCPLU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a47bec0b4f3fbf27851386dcf7cce82ef8bff93948baf39fc83cae8cba449584&width=400&height=225)
Pupils from Herbert Macaulay Girls Senior High School wear face masks to protect against coronavirus in Lagos Nigeria. Public and private schools resumed in-person classes on August 4 after months of closure. Sunday Alamba / AP
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Pupils from Birrel Avenue Senior High School Yaba wear face masks to protect against coronavirus in Lagos Nigeria. Sunday Alamba / AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DWF7DQ4ERMZMWZD44F3MSLATPA.jpg?smart=true&auth=55bf974c72e842e50cc54f82c90cce929f11c6a8b6cf79c79bbd6958d14d2c4d&width=400&height=225)
A woman wears a protective face mask at the Murtala Mohammed International airport in Lagos, Nigeria, in March. Temilade Adelaja / Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZVVP7YACOYQECG4NJWUAJJXFAU.jpg?smart=true&auth=c8b663fffbe05179ee28eec3d00a937c40edbb3a0273cdccaaccfb1082e81075&width=400&height=225)
Muslims pray in a mosque for the first time in months in Lagos. Places of worship were closed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 but reopened in early August. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
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A woman has her temperature checked on entry to Secretariat Community Central Mosque, Alausa in Lagos, on August 7. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
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A man wash hands with sanitiser as he arrives at a mosque in Lagos on August 7. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
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Worshippers wear face masks as they attend a mass following the reopening of churches and lifting of restrictions on religious gatherings in Lagos, on August 9. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KAVVDQ2HEYYOC6EE3TPOHKCXSM.jpg?smart=true&auth=934f21062a8f3c3664d4fcf28198916fbf471c9aa2daec1a37190ad13140bfcf&width=400&height=225)
Worshippers wear face masks as they attend mass outside the Holy Cross Cathedral in Lagos. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
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A woman washes her hands outside church. Bans on religious gatherings lifted across Nigeria in early August. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7DE6PAB7CLFUG6ACCZKYDDSH7Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=29c425f83f86efef7cc6d3bc44d473c88496ada21d183b41c192c2f06e1489dc&width=400&height=225)
A woman wears a face mask and sanitises her hands before entering the Holy Cross Cathedral in Lagos. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/2FADB5ZF3FOJHGLROP7CGHCPLU.jpg?smart=true&auth=a47bec0b4f3fbf27851386dcf7cce82ef8bff93948baf39fc83cae8cba449584&width=400&height=225)
Pupils from Herbert Macaulay Girls Senior High School wear face masks to protect against coronavirus in Lagos Nigeria. Public and private schools resumed in-person classes on August 4 after months of closure. Sunday Alamba / AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/A2V4IJWS4PB3KWJ3H7LWHJPJMA.jpg?smart=true&auth=a6994a2ac2f8e83ac32b8fcde8ee055ccef18afd153a5210604adf2363a90634&width=400&height=225)
Pupils from Birrel Avenue Senior High School Yaba wear face masks to protect against coronavirus in Lagos Nigeria. Sunday Alamba / AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DWF7DQ4ERMZMWZD44F3MSLATPA.jpg?smart=true&auth=55bf974c72e842e50cc54f82c90cce929f11c6a8b6cf79c79bbd6958d14d2c4d&width=400&height=225)
A woman wears a protective face mask at the Murtala Mohammed International airport in Lagos, Nigeria, in March. Temilade Adelaja / Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZVVP7YACOYQECG4NJWUAJJXFAU.jpg?smart=true&auth=c8b663fffbe05179ee28eec3d00a937c40edbb3a0273cdccaaccfb1082e81075&width=400&height=225)
Muslims pray in a mosque for the first time in months in Lagos. Places of worship were closed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 but reopened in early August. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XJOMB42B6JOGKAAFV72FZVRCQE.jpg?smart=true&auth=f1cf51aa2d636ae7dcebb6d6db058305fc7085644d6ed08c3c63f54fef83b55f&width=400&height=225)
A woman has her temperature checked on entry to Secretariat Community Central Mosque, Alausa in Lagos, on August 7. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XYKWAHMITIZ62WY3WNRNV7IXNA.jpg?smart=true&auth=6af47e24e65cb850fe10fe0c1158bb520bd8ad88ab01f6bb8edfdfcfdbde602c&width=400&height=225)
A man wash hands with sanitiser as he arrives at a mosque in Lagos on August 7. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7NMMLRGFMY5IDP2CKRM3VTH6IA.jpg?smart=true&auth=28a3392b6c24698a387888ac8f16143916856f92259299d3c88e97bb31b860da&width=400&height=225)
Worshippers wear face masks as they attend a mass following the reopening of churches and lifting of restrictions on religious gatherings in Lagos, on August 9. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KAVVDQ2HEYYOC6EE3TPOHKCXSM.jpg?smart=true&auth=934f21062a8f3c3664d4fcf28198916fbf471c9aa2daec1a37190ad13140bfcf&width=400&height=225)
Worshippers wear face masks as they attend mass outside the Holy Cross Cathedral in Lagos. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HIFKAZOISDEQL7SUQTW7VRNWSY.jpg?smart=true&auth=e616bed274b26e1d148313656d07f1cd9ecd7dfb4457309a926e4ebaa8dd4c37&width=400&height=225)
A woman washes her hands outside church. Bans on religious gatherings lifted across Nigeria in early August. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/7DE6PAB7CLFUG6ACCZKYDDSH7Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=29c425f83f86efef7cc6d3bc44d473c88496ada21d183b41c192c2f06e1489dc&width=400&height=225)
A woman wears a face mask and sanitises her hands before entering the Holy Cross Cathedral in Lagos. Pius Utomi Ekpei / AFP
Coronavirus: UAE embassy denies Nigerians are being rejected for visas
Officials expressed frustration at a slew of Nigerian website reports and comments on social media
![Nick Webster](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F9cfba7f3-8cc8-4789-bcec-97bd0007d9ef.png?smart=true&auth=96a9a5766af20e4704e52306e74ecd02669a7e0ffd084d4151d31e0039a945d3&width=70&height=70)
Nick Webster
10 August, 2020
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