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Kogi’s Refusal to Test for COVID-19 Is Raising Concern, Says NMA

Published

6 years ago

May 6, 2020

Eric

The doctors’ association in Kogi State has expressed concern over the refusal of Kogi State to test suspected cases of coronavirus.

As of Tuesday night, Nigeria has tested 19,512 people with 2,948 confirmed cases and 98 deaths across the country.

Kogi is one of the two states yet to confirm any case of the virus since the country recorded its index case in February. The other state is Cross River.

In Kogi, the state government is deliberately discouraging COVID-19 tests and has alleged that there is a plot by unnamed persons to ensure Kogi records cases of the virus

This attitude of the Kogi government has irked the doctors’ association in Kogi who warn it could be dangerous.

The Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Kogi chapter, Kabir Zubair, told PREMIUM TIMES that the consequences of not testing people for the COVID-19 may be too enormous to deal with.

“If the state is not testing anybody despite having many suspected cases, it only translates that there may be more cases to deal with later and we don’t know where they are now.

“Community transmission will be inevitable. And this could only spell impending doom,” he said.

Similarly, last month, the Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu, expressed dissatisfaction over the number of samples brought in for testing from states that were yet to record COVID-19 cases.

Naming Kogi alongside other three states (Nasarawa, Yobe and Cross River), the official said there was a lot of capacity to test, but there were not enough samples.

Mr Ihekweazu accused the states of possible negligence or attempts at hiding any record of the disease in the states.

Yobe and Nasarawa have since recorded cases of the virus.

“We have looked at the number of samples collected from these states and we are not satisfied. So, we need to test more. But to test more, we need to collect more and the collection part is the responsibility of the states and their public health teams.

“You can’t hide this. Eventually, it will emerge. There is absolutely no doubt that there are people that have pneumonia, acute respiratory infections in your states,” Mr Ihekweazu said.

In what appeared a reaction to Mr Ihekweazu’s statement, the Kogi State Government alleged there were “recent pressures from some interesting quarters for Kogi State to find and declare cases of the disease.”

In a Tuesday statement by its commissioner for information, Kingsley Fanwo, the state alleged plans to ‘import’ cases of coronavirus into the state through illicit means.

The Kogi government said it would not manufacture cases to satisfy the expectations of unnamed health officials, amidst allegations, including by a journalist, that the state has recorded deaths from the virus at a Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in the state.

Premium Times

News

Appeal Court Affirms Ruling Barring VIO from Impounding Vehicles, Fining Motorists

Published

3 days ago

December 4, 2025

Eric

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday upheld the judgment that stopped the Directorate of Road Traffic Services and Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from seizing vehicles or imposing fines on motorists.

In a unanimous decision by a three-member panel, the appellate court found no basis to set aside the Federal High Court’s ruling of October 16, 2024, which restrained the VIO from harassing motorists.

The appeal filed by the VIO was dismissed for lacking merit. Justice Oyejoju Oyewumi delivered in the lead judgment.

The high court had earlier ruled, in a judgment by Justice Nkeonye Maha, that no law authorizes the VIO to stop motorists, impound vehicles, or impose penalties for alleged traffic offences.

The case arose from a fundamental rights suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1695/2023) filed by lawyer Abubakar Marshal.

Marshal informed the court that VIO officials stopped him at Jabi in Abuja on December 12, 2023, and seized his vehicle without lawful reason. He asked the court to determine whether their actions violated his rights.

Justice Maha agreed and ordered the VIO and its agents not to impound vehicles or impose fines on motorists, describing the actions as unlawful. She held that only a court can impose fines or sanctions.

She ruled that the VIO’s conduct breached the applicant’s constitutional right to property under Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 14 of the African Charter. She further held that the VIO has no legal authority to seize vehicles or penalize motorists, as doing so infringes on rights to fair hearing, movement and presumption of innocence.

Although Marshal, represented by Femi Falana, SAN, requested ₦500 million in damages and a public apology, the court awarded ₦2.5 million.

The Directorate of Road Traffic Services, its Director, its Abuja Area Commander at the time (identified as Mr. Leo), team leader Solomon Onoja, and the FCT Minister were listed as respondents.

They appealed the decision, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.

News

Tinubu Nominates Ibas, Dambazau, Enang, Ohakim As Ambassadors

Published

4 days ago

December 4, 2025

Eric

President Bola Tinubu has nominated Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, the immediate past sole administrator of Rivers State and a former Chief of Naval Staff, as a non-career ambassador.

Tinubu also nominated Ita Enang, a former senator; Chioma Ohakim, former First Lady of Imo State; and Abdulrahman Dambazau, former Minister of Interior and ex-Chief of Army Staff, as non-career ambassadors.

News

Senate Confirms Chris Musa As New Defence Minister

Published

4 days ago

December 3, 2025

Eric

The Nigerian Senate has confirmed General Christopher Musa, the former Chief of Defence Staff, as the country’s new Minister of Defence.

The announcement was contained in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu.

Musa, who retired from the military just 40 days ago, was nominated by President Tinubu on Tuesday to succeed former Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who stepped down on health grounds.

According to Onanuga’s statement, the Senate approved Musa’s appointment on Wednesday through a voice vote, following a thorough screening session during which lawmakers posed numerous questions.

“Senate confirms Gen. Christopher Musa as Minister of Defence The Senate has confirmed the former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, as the Minister of Defence. The Senate confirmed Musa on Wednesday via a voice vote after a rigorous screening session in which lawmakers asked him many questions,” the statement read in part.