The Federal Government has finally reacted to the news that President Muhammadu Buhari has been coughing persistently despite testing negative for coronavirus.
While giving an update on the Covid-19 situation in the country, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed expressed regrets that most of the returnees from overseas submitted wrong addresses, making it hard to trace 4,370 people of interest over COVID-19 pandemic.
In the minister’s words: “We have 4,370 people of interest whom we are tracing. We urge those who have had contact with suspected cases to
immediately report to the authorities. We urge Nigerians to support the authorities in this regard.
“We are on the verge of reaching the level of community spread. We must stop this immediately or we will record exponential cases in the days ahead. There is no better way to say this.”
Speaking about the wrong addresses submitted by returnees, the Minister added:
“Let me say, without mincing words, that we are not getting the kind of cooperation that this moment deserves from Nigerians. Many are busy engaging in meaningless criticisms instead of complying with the stipulated directives to keep people safe.
“Some Nigerians who flew into the country from overseas filled wrong addresses and phone
numbers in their forms, making it difficult to trace them when the need arises.
“Some Nigerians defied orders to stay away from large gatherings while some religious leaders willfully flouted the directives to ensure social distancing.
“The government is doing its best but we need the citizens to do their best too. We have now gone past the stage of persuasion. It’s time for strong enforcement.”
On the actual state of health of President Buhari, the minister claimed that “Mr. President is well and fully in charge of the country. Some have alleged that the President is coughing, it is fake news.”
Meanwhile, Health authorities have begun the fumigation of the presidential villa to get rid of possible coronavirus that may exist there.
Recall that the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the president, Mallam Abba Kyari, who has already tested positive for the virus and had been in villa since his return from Germany.
Fully kitted officials were seen in the premises of the State House on Thursday spraying disinfectants on different entrances, hallways and the president’s office as well as the immediate environment.
