25032020

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020 —5
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Widespread fear as Kyari, Bauchi
gov test positive
By Chioma Obinna,
Johnbosco
Agbakwuru, Dirisu
Yakubu & Charly
Agwam
ABUJA —
Influential
Chief of Staff to
President Mohammed
Buhari, Mallam Abba
Kyari, has reportedly
tested positive to the
rampaging Coronavirus
that is currently wreaking
havoc in the country,
forcing some state
governors to either put
their states on lock down
or threaten to do so.
While countries of the
world have stepped up
efforts to contain the
ravaging virus, fear and
uncertainty have gripped
Bauchi State residents
after it was confirmed that
Governor Bala
Mohammed tested
positive to corona virus.
Earlier, yesterday,
Senior Special Assistant
on Media to the governor,
Muhktar Gidado in a
statement, confirmed that
the governor tested
positive to the virus after
his blood sample was
taken to Abuja and tested
by the Nigerian Centre
for Disease Control,
NCDC. This came as
anxiety heightened at the
country’s seat of power,
Aso Villa, over reports of
the corona virus infection.
Meanwhile, the number
of Coronavirus cases in
Nigeria yesterday, rose
from 40 to 44, following
four new confirmed cases
in Lagos, Ogun , Bauchi
States and Abuja,
respectively.
Confirming this on its
twitter handle -
@NCDCgov, yesterday,
the Nigerian Centre for
Disease Control, NCDC,
explained that one of the
cases was a returning
traveller while the second
case was a contact of a
previously confirmed
case.
The other two cases have
travel history to Germany
and the United Kingdom,
UK, respectively.
Giving further details on
the number of cases,
NCDC explained that at
06:25p.m., on March 24,
2020, there are 44
confirmed cases of
#COVID19 in Nigeria;
two have been discharged
with one death recorded.
According to NCDC
breakdown by states in
real-time, Lagos- 29,
Federal Capital Territory
Abuja, FCT- 8, Ogun- 3,
Ekiti- 1, Oyo- 1, Edo- 1
and Bauchi 1, bringing
the total of cases to 44.
This came as the Lagos
State Commissioner for
Health, Prof Akin
Abayomi urged all
participants and
attendees at the just
concluded African Magic
viewers’ Choice Award,
AMVCA, held on March
15, 2020, at Eko Hotels,
Lagos to go on selfisolation.
Recall that last week,
the First Lady, Aisha
Buhari had shut down her
office for two weeks over
alleged refusal of one of
her aides who returned
from the United Kingdom,
UK, to heed her advice to
stay away on selfisolation
for 14 days before
coming to work.
3 Abba Kyari
staff test positive
The news that President
Muhammadu Buhari’s
Chief of Staff, Mallam
Abba Kyari tested positive
to the COVID-19
allegedly led the National
Centre for Disease
Control NCDC, to carry
out tests on the President
on Monday and the result
released, yesterday, was
negative.
The mask-wearing
members of the
Presidential Task Force
for the Control of the
Coronavirus were led by
its chairman and
Secretary to the
Government of the
Federation, SGF, Boss
Mustapha on inspection
of the nation’s seat of
power.
Their presence caused
anxiety among State
House Staff, especially as
the Chief of Staff was
reported to have held
meetings in the Villa since
his return.
The 12-man task force
declined to speak to
newsmen as they filed out
of the State House.
When pressed by State
House correspondents to
talk, the SGF simply said
“you’d be briefed later.”
On departure, staff at
the Villa were heard
speaking in hushed tones
and expressing fears
about the consequences
of the alleged positive test
for Kyari given the nature
of his interaction with
politicians, other senior
government officials and
staff.
Since returning from
Germany, Kyari who was
said to have been
asymptomatic, had been
attending meetings
including last week’s
Federal Executive
Council, FEC and
inauguration of the
Presidential Task Force
for the Control of
Coronavirus, both of
COVID-19: Should FG lockdown the country? (1)
which were presided over
by President Buhari.
Kyari who was on a trip
to Germany on March 7,
this year, to meet with
officials of Siemens in
Munich on Nigerian
electricity expansion
programme, returned to
the country on March 14.
He was sighted after
Jum’aat prayers last
Friday, but was not seen
at the Presidential Villa,
Abuja, on Monday. His
official vehicle was also
not sighted at its officially
allocated position at the
car park in the Admin
Wing of the State House,
yesterday.
Members of the
Presidential task force
include Minister of
Health, Prof Osagie
Ehanire; Minister of
Interior, Ogbeni Rauf
Aregbesola; Minister of
Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika;
Minister of Humanitarian
Affairs, Disaster
Management and Social
Services, Sadiya Umar-
Farouk; Minister of
Education, Mr Adamu
Adamu; Minister of
Environment, Mr
Mohammed Mahmoud;
Director-General,
Department of State
Services, Mr Yusuf Bichi;
Director-General, Nigeria
Centre for Disease Control;
Continues on Page 35
By Bose Adelaja,
Olayinka Latona
& Samuel Ameh
This is really a
sensitive issue
though it is the right
thing to do to stop the
virus from spreading. Yet,
we must not overlook the
financial stand of the
masses. Many Nigerians
must go out each day to
be able to feed. The
masses must be provided
for with basic needs
before this lockdown can
be carried out.
- B a b a t u n d e
Olamilekan
Actor
I
don’t think total
lockdown of the
country will be okay
as it will lead to
serious hunger and
other health
challenges. If the
Federal Government
declares total
lockdown, many
Nigerians will be
impoverished the
more thus making life
harder for the common
man.
-Adedipe Folarin
Entrepreneurial
This total lockdown
should have been done
the moment COVID-19 got
to Africa as a preventive
measure. Nigeria is at risk
now because the virus is
already in the country; that is
just the FG looking for
solutions to the deed that had
been done. However, to
avoid exposing Nigerians to
more harm, the total
shutdown is advisable while
we look for means to curtail it
internally.
-Tanimola Femi
Corps Member
The FG should adopt
total lockdown of the
country by closing the
borders completely. The virus
is being well controlled in
China because they closed
their borders to everyone;
they stopped people from
entering their country with or
without the virus. It’s just for
a while. The virus is fast
spreading in Nigeria and
opening our borders will
make it worse.
-Ralph Siyan-Peters
Law student
It’s a good idea if
t h e
FG adopts total
lockdown of the country
as a measure to prevent
the spread of Covid-19
in Nigeria. While
trying to enforce the
law, FG should provide
amenities for citizens
such as electricity,
finance and other basic
human needs, so as to
make the citizens
comfortable during the
lockdown.
-Idebi Faith
Analyst
Embarking on a
t o t a l
l o c k d o w n
promises to be the best
solution in order to
reduce the spread of
this deadly virus.
However, the adoption
should not be sudden,
as Nigerians need to be
informed at least two -
three days before such
pronouncement, in order
to avoid issues such as
hunger, insecurity and
so on.
-Seyi Ajamu
Photojournalist