‘White Lion’ asks NCDC officials to quarantine for 14 days or leave Kogi State immediately

The Governor of Kogi State, North Central Nigeria, Barrister Yahaya Bello, on Thursday asked a delegation of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Federal Ministry of Health to go on 14-day isolation or leave the state immediately.

Also known as the White Lion of Kogi State politics, Governor Bello gave the condition to the officials whom the Federal Government sent to the state to assist in boosting its test capacity, as it has not recorded any COVID-19 case ever.

Kogi and Cross River are the only states which have not recorded any case of the disease in Nigeria.

Last week, Chikwe Ihekweazu, director-general of the NCDC, had expressed dissatisfaction with the samples collected from the states, saying more tests need to be done.

But the Kogi and Cross River governments had indirectly accused the agency of plotting to infect residents of their states with the disease.

When the team visited him at government house, Lokoja, the state capital, on Thursday night, Bello said the rules laid by the World Health Organisation (WHO) would be strictly followed.

WHO had recommended a 14-day quarantine for travellers after which tests would be conducted.

Noah Andrew, leader of the delegation from Abuja, had presented a letter titled: “Deployment of Rapid Response Squad to help in fighting Covid-19”, to the governor, explaining the mission of the health officials in the state.

He said they were there to provide logistics just like they had done in other states of the federation.

He said two members of the team would be left behind to help the state and support her efforts of the state government already in place.

“We are here to support the state in shipping swabs and samples and ascertian the preparedness of the state in fighting Covid-19,” he said.

Speaking shortly after receiving the letter, Bello outlined steps taken so far by the state to fight the pandemic.

He said that the state is highly experienced in fighting infectious diseases such as Lassa fever and malaria, adding that the experience has been brought to bear in fighting COVID-19.

He consequently asked that the NCDC officials be subjected to testing and isolated in the state quarantine center or should leave the state immediately.