A former senator, Dino Melaye, has called for a 'national day of prayer' in the fight against coronavirus in Nigeria.

Melaye made this call in a taped statement he posted online on Tuesday, March 24, 2020.

Melaye said Nigerians must commune with God over the spread of the coronavirus because prayer is the key.

"Fellow Nigerians, this is the time when wealth, made or stolen, provides no protection or guarantee of refuge. 

"Prayer is the key. I urge all of us to ask for God's mercy and pardon. 

"We should have a day of national prayer where we'll sit down and commune with God," he noted.

The former senator, who represented Kogi West in the Senate between 2015 and 2019, commended the government's ongoing efforts in containing the spread of the coronavirus.

He similarly urged Nigerians to abide by all rules of personal hygiene, self-isolation and social distancing as spelt out by relevant agencies.

Nigeria has recorded 46 cases in eight states - Lagos (30), the Federal Capital Territory (8), Ogun (3), Ekiti (1), Oyo (1), Edo (1), Bauchi (1), and Osun (1).

Melaye called on President Muhammadu Buhari to also lock down Lagos and the FCT to properly contain the spread of the disease in the country that's home to around 200 million people.