The national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, on Monday confirmed that his Chief Security Officer, CSO, Lateef Raheem, died of coronavirus.
The confirmation was made on Monday through his media office in a statement signed by his spokesman, Mr. Tunde Rahman.
Tinubu and his wife, Remi, however tested negative for coronavirus.
Rahman who explained that Tinubu and his wife conducted the test as a precautionary measure.
His staff were also tested and one was confirmed to be positive.
The concerned staff is said to have been kept in isolation according to the directive of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC.
Rahman said against the backdrop of the first hand experience by his principal, it was obvious that coronavirus could only be defeated through transparency, knowledge and compassion.
He said Tinubu warned that no one should be afraid to be tested for coronavirus where necessary.
According to him, Nigerians must do everything possible to contain the spread of the virus and to well treat those who might have been hit by the disease.
“Yet, please continue to do all you can to maintain social distance and to take all other public health measures to protect yourself and others. In this way, we all may contribute to halt the spread of this dangerous virus,” Tinubu was quoted as having said.
The statement reads in full:
Covid-19 is a real and present threat. Those of us who discount it or claim it is a fabrication do a grave and dangerous disservice to the public well-being. Likewise, those who stigmatise people who may have been stricken by the virus also do a disservice by casting blame on the innocent and discouraging people from taking the COVID test. We cannot defeat this health menace through ignorance or by shaming one another. We can only beat it through transparency, knowledge and compassion. This, we have learned first-hand.
Following the death of our well-respected and beloved Chief Security Officer, Alhaji Lateef Raheem, NCDC medics took the wise precaution of taking samples from his body for testing to actually determine the cause of death. Today, the test results are back. The samples tested positive for Covid-19.
As a precautionary measure taken soon after the death of Alhaji Raheem, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and all their aides took COVID-19 tests Saturday, April 25. The results of the tests were returned this morning.
Test results for both Asiwaju and Senator Tinubu were negative.
The results of one aide were positive. The rest of the staff was negative. The one staff member has been isolated in accordance with NCDC guidelines. Further contact tracing and COVID-19 tests are being conducted by the NCDC with regard to the relatives and possible contacts of that staff member.
Asiwaju has stressed that openness and transparency must be observed if we are to defeat this disease. There is no house immune to its entry. Contracting the virus should not bring social or moral stigma any more than contracting malaria or a common cold.
We cannot overcome this challenge by acting like it does not exist or by trying to conceal that someone may have it due to social shame. The culture of denial is counterproductive and will do great harm in our current situation.
Asiwaju asks that you not be afraid to be tested if you have any symptoms or if you believe you may have come in contact with someone who has been infected. We must do all we can to contain the spread of the virus and to well treat those of us who have been hit by it.
As you go about your day, we know you must find daily sustenance. Yet, please continue to do all you can to maintain social distance and to take all other public health measures to protect yourself and others. In this way, we all may contribute to halt the spread of this dangerous virus.
Tinubu Media Office,
Tunde Rahman.
April 27, 2020.
