FG breaks silence on Kano strange deaths

FEDERAL Government has broken its silence on the mysterious deaths that were recorded recently in Kano state with a high rise in deaths of residents.

In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), Garba Shehu, federal government is concerned on the predicaments assuring that the President and his government are with the people of Kano State and will not let them down.  

The President’s spokesperson stressed that the concern of the President Muhammadu Buhari and his government is to find a solution to the crisis so as to preserve the lives and health of citizens, and therefore will not divide its concentration or channel its energy on politically-motivated critics. The statement read;

“Nigeria is only weeks into our fight against the invisible COVID-19 that, earlier this year, was unknown to almost every nation in the world. 

“Only earlier this month Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, made clear that ‘We are at the beginning in Africa’. 

“There is much that remains unknown about this virus. What we do know is that global infections rates continue to rise each day – even when in some nations affected some time before Nigeria, the daily rate of infection is now slowing. 

“We know too that there is a global shortage of personal protective equipment, virus testing kits and other medical devices required to fight this pandemic. 

“And we also know that in each and every country there are some cities and regions more severely affected than others. 

“In Nigeria, there are currently verbal autopsies underway in Kano State to identify the precise cause of the sudden and rapid increase in mortality in recent days. 

“While some may wish to believe that there are other causes at play here like hypertension, diabetes, meningitis, and acute malaria’, there are others who say it is COVID-19.

“We should be prepared to accept the medical and scientific result of the autopsies and work together to confront the common enemy.

“What we know all over the world is that communities with similar socioeconomic dynamics like Kano have found as very helpful, the sort of lockdown measures now imposed, with markets and other public places of worship shuttered more strictly.

“If there is reason to believe that the mortality rate in Kano due to COVID-19 is out of control, it will spell a serious development to which the best action would be for the Federal government and state government to work more tightly together to find solutions and implement together.

“There is no time for energy wasted on political point-scoring, whether by current or former holders of office – or for any differences between state and federal administrations to be publicly aired. This is no time for talk. Our common purpose is to preserve the lives and health of citizens”, Shehu stated.

Published By: Admin

CARL UMEGBORO is a legal practitioner (Barrister & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria) and human rights activist. He is an associate of The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (United Kingdom). He is a prolific writer, social policy and public affairs analyst. Prior to his call to Bar as a lawyer, he had been a veteran journalist and columnist, and has over 250 published articles in various leading national newspapers to his credit. Barrister Umegboro, a litigation counsel is also a regular guest-analyst at many TV and radio programme on crucial national issues. He can be reached through: (+234) 08023184542, (+234) 08173184542 OR Email: umegborocarl@gmail.com

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