Kogi is the only state besides Cross River that has not recorded any confirmed case of the coronavirus in Nigeria. However, new information emanating from the state seem to suggest that this is not because people have not been catching the virus there or dying from it.

According to award-winning journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, the Kogi State government may be involved in a high-level cover-up of events in the state.

Soyombo’s investigative piece on corruption in prisons stimulated a reform in Nigeria’s correctional system. He also wrote that evidence suggests mysterious deaths in Kano were caused by COVID-19, days before official test results show rising number of cases from the state.

In a series of tweets on Tuesday, Soyombo revealed people have been showing up in hospitals in the state with COVI-19 related symptoms. Some of them have died without ever getting tested but the state government seems to be deliberately covering up.

In the first set of tweets, he gave various instances of patients who had exhibited symptoms of the virus but were never tested:

“On Saturday, a patient died at FMC, Lokoja, Kogi, after exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. His samples weren’t taken.

“That was the 4th such death at the FMC last week alone. Not once was the patient’s samples taken, dead or alive. March 22 was the first time this scenario occurred.

“A patient who came into Kogi from Lagos required a Ceasarean Section. The patient exhibited COVID-19 symptoms, prompting the hospital to request for her to be tested. It was turned down. The patient was isolated for some time, surgery was done and she was discharged without testing.

“Last week, there were some patients in the O&G(Obstetrics and Gynaecology) ward who manifested respiratory issues, inability to breathe and other COVID-19 symptoms. They’d come from private hospitals — one in Lokoja, another in Okene and the third in Ogudu. The first of the trio, Mrs G.I. (her initials), a 43-year-old woman who arrived at the hospital on Thursday, had a temperature of 38.8°C. The other 2 had temperatures of more than 40°C. In each case, no sample was taken before or after death.

“Now, on the final day of the week, a patient admitted to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Ward with a temp of 40.3°C was transferred to the male medical ward. The patient spent 3 hours in the ward and then died.

“One more patient exhibited potential COVID-19 symptoms on Sunday but moves for sample collection were futile; by yesterday, the patient was dead. I’ve been told there are more suspected cases, but these were the ones I personally tracked,”

Soyombo then went on to accuse the state government of covering up its COVID-19 cases and explained why he though they would do so:

Read more: https://www.todaysecho.com/politics/covid-19-kogi-state-accused-of-deliberate-cover-up/

If he had mobilised the contractors on reconstruction of osara Hospital this covid19 wouldn't have been a problem for kogi state in terms of isolation.

God save Kano people

If this is true, then Kogi might end up worse than Kano

A State that borders 10 other states with cases, Abuja worse hit amongst its border states, they are claiming they don't have cases.

Don't let me get started on the tent he called an isolation centre in FMC lokoja that was swept away by the wind.

Who we offend for Kogi wey them use bad leaders swear for us?

If you don't test, you can't confirm.
if you don't confirm, you don't spend
That's a political achievement

In all these the bloody idiot of a Governor is paying his workers 80% salary and may continue till the next three months or more...

Such an insensitive idiot...!!!

This is one of the youngest governor and the worst one equivocally. This is the youths that are clamoring for power

I always knew that zero reported case from Kogi was due to lack of testing. The governor himself could have been the index case just like El Rufai going by his close contact with Abba Kyari before his demise. We are watching...

Each time I think about youths in governance, I think of Bello and I cringe.