The Kogi State government has accused the management of the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC), Lokoja of conniving with the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, (NCDC), to declare non-existing COVID-19 cases for Kogi state, insisting that the state is still free of the virus at the moment.

The commissioner of Information and communications, Kingsley Fanwo, who stated this at a press conference in Lokoja on the discharge of the Chief Imam of kabba, Sheikh Abubukar Ejibunu, who allegedly tested positive for the virus nine days after he was taking into custody, said NCDC has not been transparent in it’s handling of cases associated with the state.

He noted that while the two index cases were still being disputed, the agency has now gone ahead to build on what he described as “false foundation” by declaring one more case for the State last week, for a total score of three.

He said that the state was however shocked to discover that the experiences of the chief Imam in the hands of the NCDC are far from everything that Nigerians have been told constitute best practices in a COVID-19 situation, especially its pathogenesis and management.

Fanwo added that the son’s case is even more strange, as he has a negative test result to confirm that he is COVID-19 free including all his siblings who were tested in the days following as the NCDC serially sought an off-taker for the second COVID-19 case which they had earlier foisted on Kogi State.

Speaking further Fanwo said “We have called this Press Conference to bring you up to speed on the Covid-19 situation in Kogi State and to further clear the air on our disagreements on some facts and principles with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) over their management of alleged CoviD-19 patients in Kogi State.

“It is no more news that the NCDC declared 2 Covid-19 cases for Kogi State on the 27th of May, 2020 in circumstances which the Kogi State Government found herself unable to accept as transparent. It has now gone ahead to build on that false foundation by declaring one more case for the State last week, for a total score of 3.

“The respected Chief Imam of Kabba, Sheik Abubakar Ahmad who is in his early 60s along with one of his sons were the purported index cases from Kogi State declared on May 27, 2020 by NCDC. They were whisked to Abuja from Lokoja on the said day and declared Covid-19 positive a few hours later.

“After 9 days in her custody, the NCDC discharged the Chief Imam on Saturday June 6th, 2020 and upon his return home, he was extensively debriefed by us with a view to ensuring that any lingering public health implications of his case are identified and resolved.

“The Chief Imam, an upright and outstanding man who is only interested in the truth confirmed what we have known all along – that he did not test positive for CoviD-19 and received no result of such a diagnosis neither did his doctors at the National Hospital, Abuja where he was confined advise him of it.

“The cleric maintains that he suffered from nothing beyond complications from an attack by bees, medical conditions which pre-date the Covid-19 pandemic and stress from travels associated with his work. Till he was released yesterday, he was held in conditions which allowed him to interact with visitors.

“Throughout his father’s time in the custody of the NCDC, and in keeping with his Covid-19 negative status, the son remained at liberty and was his father’s primary helper. He was never hospitalised and was allowed to go home each day and return the next. He was allowed to mingle freely with family, visitors, hospital staff and others. Yet, till this day, he remains the second case of Covid-19 allocated to Kogi State on the NCDC’s scoreboard.

“You all will recall that despite our disagreement with the NCDC’s conduct in the entire circumstances of this case, we moved rapidly and ensured that every member of the Chief Imam’s family as well as his direct contacts were traced and tested within hours of the NCDC announcement on May 27. They all tested negative.

“We also declared a total lockdown of his Local Government Area, Kabba-Bunu, and carried out thorough contact tracing and surveillance activities involving active case search, with SARS-COV2 tests duly conducted and completed. Again, we found nothing to warrant a protracted lockdown which is why His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State lifted it after only 4 days.

“The alleged 3rd Case of Covid-19 credited to Kogi State by the NCDC is shaping up to be another exercise in secrecy and unverifiable processes by the NCDC. Nearly one week after she was sneaked onto the NCDC’s list, the Kogi State Government is yet to be armed with the actionable information she needs to take preemptive actions in line with the Covid-19 guidelines.

“We suspect that the NCDC’s lackadaisical attitude may not be unconnected with the knowledge that no infection has been found.
Just like in the case of the Chief Imam and his family, let it be known that we are looking out for our citizen and will demand full reckoning should any harm come to her.

“We make this briefing because it is important, in line with the sensitivity of public health issues, to communicate developments so that you may in turn inform the public accurately.

“We make it clear once again that there is no case of Covid-19 in Kogi State. If ever there is, we will be the first to announce it while deploying all recommended protocols and procedures.