Kano’s Ganduje urges northern colleagues to hush up over Almajarai as Kaduna nabs COVID-19 escapees

In what is seen as targeted barbs at Governor Nasir el Rufai of Kaduna State, Governor Abdulahi Umar Ganduje has advised his colleagues to stop politicising the COVID-19 status of Islamic pupils (Almajarai) and concentrate on giving them care.
“…we all believe that what they need most now, is not noise making or publicity. What they need at this critical point in time is, caregiving,” Ganduje said in a statement by his spokesman.
The disquieting relationship between both men reached its peak after the dethronement of former Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi of Kano. el Rufai immediately appointed Sanusi Chancellor of Kaduna State University and also Vice Chairman of the board of Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency. He visited him at his exiled home in Nasarawa.
Said Ganduje, in a statement by his spokesman, Abba Anwar: “To put record straight on the movement of Almajiris across states of the federation and how Kano embarks on the exercise.
“We agreed at the Northern Governors Forum that all Almajiris moved to their states of origin. That is why we are sending, in good faith and procedures, all Almajiris that are not from Kano state to their respective states of origin.
“The exercise was not political and should not be politicised.
“The way we are sending back Almajiris to their states of origin, we are also receiving Almajiris from other states who are Kano indigenes. But the fact that we are not making noise about it does not mean they are all healthy without COVID-19 infections.
“Let’s make it categorically clear that, some of the Almajiris brought to Kano during the exercise, are also COVID-19 positive, but we are not making politics out of it. Because we all believe that what they need most now, is not noise making or publicity. What they need at this critical point in time is, caregiving.
“People should also understand that these children were not infected in the process of transporting them to their respective states. So noise making is not fit as a way forward.
“All we are doing is simply to comply with the Northern Governors’ Forum decision that all Almajiris in our states should be taken back to their respective states, simple”.
Meanwhile, Kaduna State Commissioner of Health, Dr Amina Mohammed Baloni has said that security agencies have successfully tracked down two Covid-19 positive persons who fled their homes shortly after they were notified of their test results.
In a statement she signed on Sunday evening, Dr Baloni said that ‘’the man and woman involved are now at the Kaduna State Government isolation centre for treatment.’’
The Commissioner recalled that the ‘’two patients had been isolating in their respective homes pending receipt of their test results. They both switched off their phones and remained incommunicado once they were informed of their positive test results.’’
The statement encouraged all residents to take precautions and protect themselves and their families from Covid-19.
‘’ However, persons who get infected should note that Covid-19 is not a death sentence,’’ Dr Baloni said, adding that ‘’persons who receive treatment promptly have a higher chance of defeating the disease.’’
‘’Twelve persons have so far been discharged in Kaduna State after receiving treatment and our health professionals are working hard for the recovery of other patients,’’ she assured.
Recall that Governor Nasir el Rufai has said that Kaduna state has recorded two deaths from COVID-19 pandemic and that the latest fatalities are a senior citizen from Makarfi and a lady from Zaria.
In a tweet from his official twitter handle, the governor also revealed that two more persons have tested positive, bringing the active COVID-19 cases in the state to 87.
According to the tweet which was released at 11.04 pm on Saturday, the two new cases are a male from Igabi and a female from Chikun local government areas.
Kaduna recorded its first reported fatality on May 2, when the victim who was a retired civil servant who concealed his travel history to Kano, died before the result of his test came out.
Last week, the government raised the alarm that majority of Covid-19 cases in the state have travel history and that such illegal inter-state travel is widening the spread of the virus in the state.
A statement issued from Sir Kashim Ibrahim House said that this illegal travel has increased the danger of community transmission as infections have ‘’now been recorded in some mainly rural local governments on the borders of the state.’’
The statement which was signed by Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Mr Muyiwa Adekeye, said that ‘’the Standing Committee on Covid-19 appeals for the vigilance and active involvement of all citizens in the effort to avert this peril.’’
According to Adekeye, ‘’positive Covid-19 test results have been recorded from seven local government areas: Giwa, Igabi, Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Makarfi, Soba and Zaria. ‘’