Kogi’s Index COVID-19 Case Is Kabba’s Chief Imam, Family Reveals

The index case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Kogi State has been identified as Ahmad Ejibunu, the Chief Imam of Kabba.
This was disclosed by Tai Ejibunu, the Obatebise of Oweland and a member of the patient’s family, in a statement on Friday, according to TheCable.
According to the report, the monarch explained that the chief imam caught a flu and was admitted at the Specialist Hospital in Kabba, after which he transferred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Lokoja.
Ejibunu was subsequently referred to the National Hospital, Abuja, where he tested positive for COVID-19.
The Kogi State government had rejected the first two COVID-19 cases reported by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
But the Oweland traditional ruler said there is no need for the Kogi State government to deny the existence of the virus in the state, noting that the family is concerned for all members of the community.
He added that the contact tracing process had commenced.
 
The statement read: “The family is concerned about the well being of other Owes and we wish to confirm that Covid-19 has fond its way sadly to our community and the State,” he said.
“Therefore, no need for 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.
“What we need from our people is empathy and no need for the acrimonious exchange of views and counter views.”
Ejibunu added that the family is “cooperating with the Kogi State Government and the NCDC to stem the spread”.