Achimugu is first Nigeria’s COVID-19 victim

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) yesterday confirmed Engr. Suleiman Achimugu as the first fatality from COVID 19.

The 67-year-old Achimugu reportedly died in Abuja after returning to Nigeria following a medical procedure in the United Kingdom (UK).

He was a former managing director of Nigeria’s Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC).

Though there were different insinuations in respect of the immediate factors that led to his death, the NCDC said that he had underlying medical conditions including multiple myeloma and diabetes and that he was also undergoing chemotherapy.

In a statement yesterday, Abubakar Achimugu on behalf of the family said, “He died of COVID-19 on 22/03/2020 some days after he arrived Nigeria from the UK.

“He was in self- isolation upon his return from the UK and personally called NCDC after experiencing some discomfort that are related to COVID-19 symptoms.

“He tested positive and was promptly evacuated to the specialist hospital. He died while receiving treatment.”

The Kogi State government where he hailed from described the death of Achimugu as a great loss to the state, Nigeria and the world.

Late Achimugu joined the NNPC in 1978 as Chemical Engineer II and later in 1999 after traversing the oil sector; was deployed to NNPC Corporate Headquarters as General Manager, Turn Around Maintenance and Projects in the Refining and Petrochemicals Directorate.

He was appointed Managing Director of PPMC in November in 2003. In 2007, he was appointed the Group General Manager of Renewable Energy Division of the NNPC.