Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state has rejected the results announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) that two people tested positive for COVID-19 in the state.
According to a statement on Wednesday signed by the state Health Commissioner, Saka Haruna Audu, said the state is COVID-19 free, adding the state government outrightly rejected NCDC claims.
He noted that the agency should count the state out of “any fictitious COVID-19 claims” or any attempt to malign the efforts of the state government in keeping the people of Kogi safe.
Audu noted that the state government has developed “full testing capacity” and “conducted hundreds of tests” which have come back negative.
The commissioner added that any attempt to force the state to announce a case of COVID-19 will be vehemently rejected.
He said: “Kogi State till this very moment is Covid-19 free. We have developed full testing capacity and have conducted hundreds of tests so far which have come back negative.
“We have also continued to insist that we will not be a party to any fictitious COVID-19 claims which is why we do not recognise any COVID-19 test conducted by any Kogite outside the boundaries of the State except those initiated by us.
“Any attempt to force us to announce a case of COVID-19 will be vehemently rejected.”
“We are more than prepared to secure the life of our people and have no interest in playing politics with their health concerns.”
Audu, however, asked residents of the state to continue to take all necessary precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease in the state.
