Nigeria's Lagos state government has ordered the closure of all schools by Friday to pave way for the holiday festivities.

A state official, Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, in a statement, said schools will reopen on 4 January but students in boarding schools will resume a day earlier.

She urged parents to ensure their children follow the Covid-19 guidelines at home and asked school administrators to ensure compliance in January.

Schools in Lagos state resumed in September after months of closure because of the coronavirus pandemic.

They closed briefly and resumed in November because of the anti-police brutality protests that took place for weeks.

The state government had to harmonise the school calendar after the interruptions.