Richard Elesho
The Kogi State government has disputed claims that an indigene of the State who died Tuesday in Katsina after testing positive for Coronavirus visited home a forthnight ago. The deceased, Aliyu Yakubu, was a medical Doctor based in Daura and news of his death had raised public health concerns and panic in his home state.
While breaking the news of the Doctor’s death, the Katsina State Governor, Alh. Aminu Masari had said the victim recently stopped over in Kogi on his trip to Lagos.
However, the Kogi state Commissioner for Health, Dr Saka Haruna denied this claim, saying that the victim did not stop over in Okene as being rumoured.
“There is a rumour making the rounds that one of our brothers from Kogi Central (a Doctor) who died in Katsina State, and was later confirmed to be positive for Covid-19 had visited Kogi State en route Katsina (24/03/2020) from Lagos”, the Commissioner said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
According to him “our independent investigation has revealed that this isn’t true. According to the deceased’s Wife, brother and two other close family members, the deceased returned to Katsina from Lagos by air and did not pass through Kogi State. He last visited Kogi State in February, 2020. We advise the general public to remain calm as we remain on high alert and at the top of every development in the State as it concerns Covid-19.”
“We pray that God grants the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss and admit our dearly loved brother into Aljannah firdaus.”
The Commissioner assured the people of Katsina of the readiness of Kogi state in helping to trace all contacts by linking with the deceased family
“We also wish to assure the Government and good people of Katsina State that we stand with them in this trying time. The Hon. Commissioner for Health, Katsina state is a friend and a thorough professional, and we have no doubt in his ability to stem the tide. On our own, we will offer every assistance to the State by liaising with the deceased family to help in tracing all known contacts.” Haruna stated.
Kogi is yet to record any case of the pandemic within the state. The palpable panic on Wednesday was heightened by the fact that the Doctor’s demise brings the number of Kogi indigenes who had died of Covid-19 to two since the outbreak of the deadly virus. The two deaths occured outside the State.
A retired top official of the Nigerian national petroleum corporation, Engineer Suleman Achimugu who was an indigene of the state became the first victim when he tested positive to Covid-19 and later died in March.