Coronavirus-infected Bauchi Governor: Dangote, ministers, governors at likely risk for COVID-19

A review of the social media timeline of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed who tested positive to coronavirus, shows that he had physical contacts with billionaire, Aliko Dangote; met the director-general of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Chikwe Ihekweazu and also attended the National Economic Council meeting in Abuja, where he interacted with several governors.

The aforesaid activities of the sick Bauchi governor have since raised concerns that those he had personal contacts with may likely be at risk for Covid-19.

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Recall that the governor took the test after it was announced that Mohammed Abubakar, son of former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, had tested positive for the virus on Sunday, March 22.

The governor also recently travelled to Germany, a high-risk country where he could have also contracted the virus.

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The governor had met Abubakar inside an Abuja-bound airplane in Lagos and reportedly shook his hand on March 17.

Timeline of Bala Mohammed’s activity flow as it appears on his official handle, @SenBalaMohammed:

He attended the National Economic Council meeting on March 19. The meeting regularly takes place at the Presidential Villa and comprises all 36 state governors, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and other top government officials.

After his return from Germany, the governor led a high-level delegation from Bauchi State to the office of the NCDC, led by its director-general, Chikwe Ihekweazu.

The meeting was to discuss Bauchi’s preparedness and response to Lassa fever and other infectious diseases.

He met with billionaire, Aliko Dangote

According to reports, the meeting with Dangote was on March 17 in Lagos, but the photo was posted on governor Mohammed’s timeline on the 18th of March, 2020.

The governor had similarly tweeted about his meeting on March 17 with the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, but it’s unclear if that happened before his contact with Mohammed.

The governor also launched an affordable housing project in Bauchi that was attended by scores of people on March 21.

Governor Mohammed could have been infected in Germany

While the governor is believed to have been infected through contact with Mohammed (Atiku’s son), he had visited Germany before the two met. Germany is a high-risk country that has recorded nearly 30,000 cases of coronavirus.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s chief of staff, Abba Kyari, recently tested positive for coronavirus after returning from the European country.

During a meeting in Germany on March 13, the governor signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Water is Right Foundation, led by its founder, Rolf Stahlhofen.

The governor failed to adhere to the directive of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for returnees from high-risk countries to self-isolate themselves for 14 days to watch for possible symptoms and avoid infecting others unknowingly.