https://thenationonlineng.net/reported-case-of-covid-19-in-kogi-real-says-melaye/May 30, 2020
James Azania, Lokoja
Senator Dino Melaye has said that reports of COVID-19 positive case in Kogi State is real and authentic.
This is coming on the heels of brickbats between the Kogi State government and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, over the latter’s announcement of two cases of the Coronavirus positives from the state.
The government through the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kingsley Fanwo, has however disagreed with the centre’s report, insisting that Kogi remains Covid-19 free.
The family of the Chief Imam of Kabba, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Ejibunu, said to have tested positive to the Coronavirus disease have also come out to confirm the development.
Chief Tai Ejibunu, Obatebise of Oweland, in a release said that the Chief Imam, who exhibited the flu symptom, eventually tested positive for the Coronavirus disease, haven been referred from the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja, to under the test.
Melaye in a statement issued on Saturday, affirmed that one of the cases is from kabba and the victim personally known to me.
The statement read: “I want to announce that the Covid-19 case in Kogi is real and authentic, and cannot understand why any responsible government will want to deny and invariably kill her citizens.
“One of the cases is from kabba and the victim is personally known to me. I cannot be part of those who will play politics with the lives of my people.
“COVID-19 is real, but not a death sentence, if handled early enough. Family members of the Kabba victim who got referral to Abuja from Federal Medical Center in Lokoja, and all those who had contact with him should please surrender themselves for test so as to curtail the spreed.
“Kogi State government must come down from her imaginary high horse and start contact tracing to help curtail the spread. It is illogical to think we will be free with our proximity to affected states. God will hear our cry and heal our land. God bless Okunland! God bless Kogi West! God blesss Kogi State.”
The Ejibunu family spokesman in the statement sought to lay to rest the controversy surrounding the Covid-19 status of one of their patriarchs.
In the statement titled, “The COVID-19 Case Infection: Matters Arising, the family stated thus: “Our attention has been drawn to the series of discussions going on concerning Covid-19 index case in Kabba and the identity of the index case.
“I wish to affirm, on behalf of Ejibunu family, that the Chief Imam of Kabba, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Ejibunu, was down with flu some few days back and he had to be hospitalised at the Specialist Hospital in Kabba. Further medical attention was sought at the Federal Medical Centre in Lokoja, as the flu did not abate after some days.
“At the FMC, he was referred to the National Hospital in Abuja and the test conducted on him by the NCDC showed that he was Covid-19 positive.
“The test conducted on one of his sons who had been with him since came out negative.
The family would have come out to speak on the matter, but we were not comfortable with the ding dong game going on between the NCDC and the Kogi State government.
“The family is concerned about the wellbeing of other Owes and we wish to confirm that Covid-19 has found its way sadly into our community and the state. Therefore, no need for Kogi State government to deny the obvious.
“We would like to stress that the Chief Imam, of recent, had never ventured outside Kogi State by way of travelling outside the state. So, the ‘virus’ could have been contacted within.
We wish to advise our people to please abide by the protocols emplaced by the NCDC and play safe.
“The family is cooperating with the Kogi State government and the NCDC to stem the spread. This evening, contact tracing and testing of family members of the Chief Imam had began. What we need from our people is empathy and no need for the acrimonious exchange of views and counter views.
“May God save Oweland and her people in particular and the state in general.”
Mynd44 Lalasticlala |
