The Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, and the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, have both tested positive for COVID-19.
There is panic among governors and ministers due to the fact that Kyari after his return from foreign trips a few days ago attended the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, while Mohammed was at the National Executive Council meeting on Thursday.
Kyari, after Nigeria recorded the first coronavirus case on February 27 visited Germany and Egypt. In Germany, he and the Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, on March 9, met Siemens officials over the power deal signed with the company.
A top government official source said there was concern that Kyari and Mohammed could have infected some ministers and governors.
The source stated, “Panic has gripped governors. Kyari went into isolation on Monday, but before that, he had attended the FEC meeting and also travelled to Kogi State to sympathise with the state Governor, Yahaya Bello over the death of his mother.
“Also Bauchi governor attended the NEC meeting on Thursday. There are fears that both of them could have infected their colleagues with the disease.”
Also gripped with fear were those who had visited the Villa in the last one week and met Kyari.
As panic gripped governors and ministers, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said on Tuesday COVID-19 cases had increased to 44 from 40 on Monday.
The NCDC, in its twitter handle, said eight confirmed cases had been recorded in Abuja, one in Bauchi State, one in Edo State, one in Ekiti State, 29 in Lagos State and three in Ogun State.
“As at 06:25pm on 24th March, there are 44 confirmed cases of #COVID-19 in Nigeria. Two have been discharged with one death,” the NCDC stated.
A source at the Federal Ministry of Health confirmed that Kyari, who recently returned from Germany, was among those who tested positive on Tuesday.
He, however, said the President, Muhammadu Buhari, had tested negative but the President would be tested again in a few days.
At 65, Kyari is one of the oldest persons in Nigeria with a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus.
The diagnosis of Kyari with COVID-19 created fears at the Presidential Villa and among governors, who attended the National Executive Council meeting with him on Thursday last week.
Meanwhile, the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, also tested positive for coronavirus.
The governor had on Monday gone into self-isolation after having contact with a son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar aboard an Aero Contractors flight from Lagos to Abuja.
Atiku’s son, Mohammed, tested positive for the disease on Sunday night. His father said he recently travelled to Switzerland.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Bauchi State governor on Media, Mukhtar Gidado, in the statement on Tuesday, said the test conducted on Mohammed was positive.
He said, “This is to inform the general public that the results of the six initial tests carried out by the Centre for Disease Control on His Excellency, Senator Bala Mohammed, his family and aides that accompanied him to Lagos are out.
“Of the six initial tests carried out, one sample was confirmed to be positive for COVID-19. The positive result happened to be that of His Excellency, Senator Bala Mohammed, the Executive Governor of Bauchi State.
“At this point, it should be noted that the governor is in self-isolation as his doctors and officials from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control have taken full charge of his quarantine.”
Meanwhile, the result of the governor has created panic in the state, particularly among those who attended events with him after his return from Lagos.
The governor attended the foundation laying of 2,500 housing units on Saturday at Dungal Village and a stakeholders engagement at the Council Chamber of the Government House Bauchi on Sunday.
The foundation laying was attended by some traditional rulers, the state Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela, the Secretary to the State Government, Sabi’u Baba; the Chief of Staff Government House, the Managing Director, Family Homes Funds Limited, Femi Adewale, and Ambassador Adamu Jumba, who represented the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed.
The governor, in a statement on Tuesday by Umar Saidu on behalf of the Head of Civil Service, said civil servants from grade 1 to 12 should stay at home.
