Reports of coronavirus in Kogi are real and authentic, Senator Dino Melaye has stated.
He spoke on the heels of brickbats between Kogi State Government and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) over the latter’s announcement of two cases of coronavirus in the state.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kingsley Fanwo, however disagreed with the centre’s report, insisting Kogi remains COVID-19 free.
Melaye, in a statement on Saturday, affirmed one of the cases is from Kabba and the patient personally known to him.
The statement reads: “I want to announce that the Covid-19 case in Kogi is real and authentic and cannot understand why any responsible government will want to deny and invariably kill her citizens.
“One of the cases is from Kabba and the victim is personally known to me. I cannot be part of those who will play politics with the lives of my people.
“COVID-19 is real but not a death sentence, if handled early enough. Family members of the Kabba victim who got referral to Abuja from Federal Medical Center in Lokoja and all those who had contact with him should please surrender themselves for test so as to curtail the spread.
“Kogi State government must come down from her imaginary high horse and start contact tracing to help curtail the spread. It is illogical to think we will be free with our proximity to affected states. God will hear our cry and heal our land. God bless Okunland! God bless Kogi West! God blesss Kogi State.”