The family of Kogi State’s index COVID-19 patient has confirmed that the dreaded contagion is in the state, advising the state government not to deny the obvious.
In a statement on Friday, Tai Ejibunu, Obatebise of Oweland, on behalf of the family, said the patient identified as Ahmad Ejibunu, the Chief Imam of Kabba, actually tested positive as declared by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Tuesday night.
This is contrary to the denial by the Yahaya Bello-led administration who had rejected two cases announced by NCDC, accusing the health agency of perpetrating fraud.
According to Ejibunu, the Imam had been down with flu after which he was admitted at the Specialist Hospital in Kabba and later transferred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Lokoja, from where he was referred to the National Hospital, Abuja, where he tested positive for the virus.
“The family is concerned about the well being of other Owes and we wish to confirm that Covid-19 has fond it’s way sadly to our community and the State,” he said.
However, Ejibunu urged the state government to quit the rancour towards the NCDC and face the reality that coronavirus has infiltrated into the state.
“Therefore, no need for the 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.”
He added that the family is “cooperating with the Kogi State Government and the NCDC to stem the spread”, and that contact tracing and testing of family members of the index case had begun.
“What we need from our people is empathy and no need for the acrimonious exchange of views and counter views,” Ejibunu said
