Panic in Aso Rock as COVID-19 spreads rapidly

Panic as a number of presidential aides have reportedly tested positive to Covid-19 and are now on self-isolation.

Premium Times  named those affected as the permanent secretary in the State House, Tijani Umar; the President’s Aide-de-camp (ADC), Yusuf Dodo; his chief security officer (CSO), Aliyu Musa, and his senior special assistant (media and publicity), Garba Shehu.

The online newspaper said their results were confirmed positive during the week.

The report also claimed that the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, is also down with the virus.

None of them is thought to be seriously affected by the virus because they are fully vaccinated.

The report quoted the presidential spokesman, Shehu as saying: “I have no confirmation of the cases you mentioned, but yes I have been afflicted by the mild variant of the COVID-19. I felt okay from the beginning, maybe because one had received all three jabs, and right now, I feel 100 per cent. I just finished my hour-long running exercise.

“But the strange thing about this ailment is that it is the scientists, not you, that will say you are okay. Right now, I’m taking my prescriptions and isolating and would go back for a test to ascertain if the virus is still here or it has left me. Thanks for your goodwill.”

Testing had recently been ramped up in the presidential villa in the wake of the Omicron variant to ensure the containment of the virus.

Recall that the First Lady, Dr Aisha Muhammadu Buhari had a few days ago after returning from Istanbul, Turkey, ordered for the closure of her office and directed her staff to proceed on indefinite leave.

It is believed that the directive is not unconnected with the need to check the possible spread of coronavirus around the first family.

She had given a similar directive in the past as Covid-19 started to gain ground in the country.

When Shehu was reached over the report Saturday, he said: “Have you read the Premium Times report? What I said in it is the truth to the best of my knowledge. What is true is that I know about myself that I’m self-isolating and taking my medication, but I know of no other case.”