Yobe government debunks reports of COVID-19 related deaths

Yobe State Government has asked Nigerians to disregard the report of COVID-19 related deaths in the State.

It declared that no such case was recorded in the State.

An online media report had claimed that there were COVID-19 related deaths in the State.

Also, Daily Trust had reported that one Alhaji Muazu Brahji, a Director of Human Resources with the State ministry of health died at the state specialist hospital isolation centre in Damaturu on Wednesday.

A brother to the deceased, Yau Ubaliyo Abubakar, who confirmed the development to our correspondent early Wednesday, said that late Brahji was taken to the isolation facility on Tuesday.

Abubakar disclosed that his sample was taken COVID-19 test, adding they were currently awaiting the result.

Yobe is among the states without a testing centre for OVID-19; as such, most of the samples collected are taken to either Abuja or Borno for testing.

But the Director General, Press and Media Affairs to Yobe state governor, Mamman Mohammed, said in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday, that Yobe State was the first state in Nigeria to voluntarily submit a suspected case of COVID-19 for test, which was tested negative.

The statement said Yobe recorded its first case just last week 30th April, 2020 and to date; “there is no officially declared COVID-19 related death” in the state.

“Our attention has been drawn to an online report alleging COVID-19 related deaths in Yobe state.

“The report also claimed that His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni was in Abuja while his people were dying.

“For the records, Yobe State was the very first state in Nigeria to voluntarily submit a suspected case of COVID-19 for test. Thank God, it was negative.

“The state had in spite of non existing case, constituted a COVID-19 committee, established three isolation centers equipped with ventilators and all necessary equipment.

“Yobe recorded its first case just last week 30th April, 2020 and to date, there is no officially declared COVID-19 related death.

“Secondly, His Excellency Governor Mai Mala Buni, had not travelled out of the state for six weeks until when President Buhari invited him to Abuja to discuss security matters where he spent just three days and had since been back.

“Therefore, he was neither outside the state nor coordinating the affairs of the state from Abuja as claimed.

“This administration maintains an open door policy, we therefore call on the media to always contact the state government to clarify every issue before going to the press.”