Atiku speaks on son’s COVID-19 status
Former Vice president Atiku Abubakar yesterday denied reports that his son who was diagnosed of COVID-19 visited nightclubs and Juma’at prayers before testing positive for the virus.
Atiku who was responding to reports that his son Mohammed had been to public places and may have exposed other people to the virus, in a statement, said, “The case neither attended the Friday Juma’at prayers nor any social gathering until his evacuation to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital on the 20th where he is being treated and managed.”
He said: “The clinical case returned to the country on 17th March via Switzerland from some business engagements in France and Switzerland. He attended a private meeting of six persons same day in Lagos, stayed in his private house for the night and took an Aero 5.20pm flight to Abuja on the 18th.”
He urged members of the public to disregard the information saying he was neither at Play Lounge nor any other club in Abuja as being speculated, adding “The case did not travel with his family or any other but travelled alone by Emirates Airline. The case wore face mask as a precautionary measure since his arrival in Nigeria.”
He said: “The case did not show symptoms of infection and voluntarily placed a call to NCDC on arrival in Abuja late on the 18th to inform them he had returned from COVID-19 prone country and desired to be tested.
“On the 19th, NCDC took his blood sample which result came positive on the 20th. He subsequently went into self -isolation to protect his family within his own house,” he said.
There were claims that Mohammed Atiku who lives at Taslee Palm City Estate had mingled with many people.
The estate is located at a highbrow area in one of Abuja’s richest district, Maitama. The estate is on Uruguay Street, off Aminu Kano Crescent where several popular offices, clubs, banks and restaurants are located.
The estate mostly comprises duplexes occupied by prominent people in the society including top government officials past and present.