By Adesina Soyooye

After days in self-denial, a National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, finally admitted on Monday that the deadly COVID-19 actually found its way into his Boudillion, Ikoyi residence.

Tinubu’s Chief Security Officer, ASP Lateef Raheem, had died last Friday. While many people, including a couple of his aides suspected that Raheem, who had been with Tinubu since 1999, when he first became Lagos Governor, died of COVID-19, an official release from Tinubu’s camp insisted he died of complications from diabetes and high blood pressure. He was at work on Monday, and passed on a few days later.

When the news broke that Tinubu had gone on self-quarantine, based on Raheem’s sudden death, he had quickly denied it.

But, on Monday, he walked back the line.

In a release which, at once, smacked of excitement and sombreness, Tinubu announced that he and his wife, Remy, a Senator, had tested negative to the disease, but revealed that his COS had died of it. He, also, said that another of his aides had tested positive for the disease, and was quickly evacuated by the NCDC for treatment.

A release by his Media Aide, Tunde Rahman, said that following the death of Raheem, a test was carried out to confirm the cause of death. It turned out he died of the Virus when the result came back on Monday. He also disclosed that as a precautionary measure, others, including Tinubu and his wife, took the test.

The results came back negative, except that of one other aide.

What is not, however, known is if NCDC/WHO protocols and guidelines were followed at the burial of Raheem, given the initial denial, and, since, as a Muslim faithful, ha was buried immediately after his passing.

By Charles Igbo

Fresh from a COVID-19 Isolation Centre, and experiencing freedom for the first time in 40 days, Mohammed Atiku, son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, said his experience at the centre has humbled him. He also said he had learnt lessons.

Mohammed entered the Isolation Centre at the University of Abuja, Gwagwalada on February 27, to be treated for COVID-19 for which he had tested positive.

On being released, the 31 year-old, said: “This is one of the everlasting lessons I can’t forget for the rest of my life.

“Indeed, I have been humbled by this experience. Words cannot sufficiently convey the depth of my joy over my recovery and discharge”.

His relieved father, Atiku Abubakar, who had the difficult job of announcing his son’s COVID-19 status, also, had the joyous job of announcing his negative status, and discharge from hospital. In a message, he said: “With gratitude to God, we are excited. It couldn’t have come at a better time of the Ramadan

“I thank you all for your prayers, even as we remain indebted to the medical personnel who have stayed tireless in their efforts”

Mohammed’s 40-day stay at the Isolation Centre, ranks as the longest for any known patient in Nigeria. It brought a lot of anxiety and worries, with speculations, flying.

A couple of days ago, the stories made the rounds that he had been moved to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital since he was still positive. But another story said he had been quietly released.

Both turned out false, as he was released only Monday evening.

Mohammed contracted the disease on a business trip abroad. He tested positive as soon as he came back.

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, who also tested positive for COVID-19,  had alleged that he contracted it from Mohammed Atiku on an Aero Airline flight from Lagos to Abuja, when he shook hands with him.

But Atiku Jnr. dismissed the claim, saying they never shook hands, that they only waved at each other on the plane, revealing that the Governor had just come back from Germany.