Nigeria: Kogi Government gets into a battle with NCDC over false COVID-19 cases

Kogi State Government in Nigeria is having a battle with the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) accusing the federal government body to ensure cases were recorded in the state through fraudulent means, according to a news report by Premium Times.

The state has maintained its position on the status of the state regarding the coronavirus pandemic, reiterating that the state has no known case of the virus.

The NCDC and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) have at different times criticized the government for non-cooperation, accusing it of hiding suspected cases.

The NCDC says it has confirmed three cases in the state.

In a text of a press conference by the state's commissioner for information, Kingsley Fanwo stated on Monday, the state government said all the three cases said to be found in Kogi by the NCDC were wrongly declared.

The index cases, according to Fanwo, were said to be the Chief Imam of Kabba, Abubakar Ahmad, and one of his sons.

The commissioner said the Imam and the son were ferried to Abuja in suspicious circumstances and were declared positive of the coronavirus thereafter.

According to Fanwo, Ahmad had since disowned his COVID-19 status saying he only got complications arising from bee stings.

The commissioner said Ahmad was also allowed visitors and was released by the NCDC after spending nine days at the National Hospital in Abuja.