CoViD-19: Anxieties over Kogi governor’s status

CoViD-19: Anxieties over Kogi governor’s status

Wednesday, March 25, 2020 9:03 am


Governor Bello of Kogi State

Richard Elesho/ Lokoja

Since Tuesday when the news of the infection of the Chief of Staff to the President Mr Abba Kayari with the ravaging Corona Virus was made public, there has been concerns over the status of people that had contact with him, including Kogi State Governor, Alh. Yahaya Bello and some of his aids.

COS had paid a condolence visit to Governor Bello in Okene over the death of his mother Hajiya Hawawu Bello. That was on Tuesday 17th March shortly after his return from Germany. He delivered a letter from President Buhari to the Kogi Governor. Other members of the President’s delegation included the Minister of Special Duties, Senator George Akume; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of State, FCT, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani;  Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Zubair Dada and the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu.

As usual during such visits, there were exchange of pleasantries, shaking of hands and group photographs, all of which entails close body contact. The situation has heightened anxiety that the dreaded virus may have sneaked into the State through the first family.

There are other concerns. Seven persons who just returned from different parts of the globe are reported to be in compulsory isolation in three locations in the State. Dr. Saka Audu, the Commissioner for Health made this known in his Twitter Handle on Tuesday.

Several weeks after Nigeria recorded its first case of the Virus, the Kogi State Government began to unfold a late and weak preparations when it inaugurated a 29-member squadron against the pandemic. The State has just pconverted FAREC Clinic in Lokoja to an Isolation Centre and planning to acquire testing kits against the virus.

The Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo in a comment assured that thus far, no one has tested positive for the virus in the State. He said Bello is currently working from home as an example to others

“We wish to state unequivocally that no one in the State has been tested positive for the Coronavirus. The Committee urges the public to disregard the fake news doing the round about the status of some key public officials in the State.

“Government officials who recently returned from affected countries are currently undergoing the process of ascertaining their status as all of them have been isolated even before the results of their tests are out.’ Fanwo said


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