The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Muhammed Babandede, has tested positive for coronavirus.
The CG, who disclosed this to newsmen explained that he is already on self-isolation since he returned from the United Kingdom on March 22.
The PUNCH later called him on phone and Babandede confirmed the development.
He stated, “Today, I tested positive for COVID-19. I have been on self-isolation since my return from the UK on Sunday 22nd of this month with British Airways in Lagos.
“I urge my loved ones, Immigration Officers and Nigerians to pray for me and all those affected.”
Babandede urged immigration officers to continue working with his deputy to move the service forward.
He added, “It is a very difficult time but we can’t change what God destined for us.
“I urge officers to continue working with my able Deputy to further move our Service to another level. As advised by NCDC, I am totally isolated.”
This is happening barely 12 hours after the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, tested positive for COVID-19.
Also, Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has tested positive to coronavirus.
The Governor made this known on Saturday.
Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina Baloni, will speak on the contacts of Governor Nasir el-Rufai, who on Saturday announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus.
Some of the persons that might be asked to go into self-isolation include some of his commissioners, top aides, drivers as well as their families.
Sources close to the governor told one of our correspondents that the commissioner had been mandated to speak on the issue.
It was also learnt that the revelation by the governor shocked his aides and that there was anxiety among them, as some of them had had close contacts with him a few days back.
A source said the governor decided to make the result of his test known to Nigerians because he saw nothing wrong with it, adding that it was seen as his social responsibility.
He said the test was conducted only on the governor, adding that because of that, there was no way the state would know the status of other officials.
He said, “The result was conducted only on the governor. There is no way the state can determine the contacts now and only the commissioner of health can speak on it and it will be done on Sunday (today) because it is late now (Saturday night).
“So, there is nothing to hide. The governor decided to release the result because he is a responsible leader and he had nothing to conceal. He did not want to conceal any fact. He preferred to open up on the result because he is a responsible leader.”
Another source said there was anxiety among the governor’s aides, fearing that they could also have contracted the virus because of the close contact they had had with him.
“We are afraid that many of us could have contracted the virus because we work as a family and are very close to our boss. However, we all know it is not a death sentence. Whatever comes out of it, we know we will come out stronger.
“Therefore, we the aides like the commissioners, advisers, assistants, drivers, family members and others who are very close to the governor are likely going to go on self-isolation,” the source added.
El-Rufai had on Saturday announced that he tested positive for the coronavirus.
In a statement signed by him on his social media pages, the governor said he had earlier in the week submitted his blood samples for the COVID-19 test.
He said the results, which came in on Saturday evening, showed that he tested positive for the virus and he had gone into self-isolation.
PUNCH
