Bello’s security detail, Johnson Ikemini dies of COVID-19 [Investigation]

Kogi State Governor,  Alhaji Yahaya Bello has lost an official of State Security Service, (SSS) which was attached to the Government House, Mr.  Johnson Ikemini to COVID-19, CAPITAL POST’s investigation revealed. 

The deceased who is a native of Ebonyi State,  South East Nigeria,  was a Senior Official One (SO1) among the Government House security Aides of the governor. 

Before he died on Saturday,  9th May,  2020, at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC),  Lokoja   Mr. Ikemini was said to have developed health complications with signs of pneumonia. 

The source said,  the governor was immediately informed of Mr.  Ikemili’s failing health through the government house security command, after which he was evacuated to the Federal Medical Centre a short distance away from the Lugard House. 

While at the Federal Medical Centre,  he was subjected to series of medical tests with the results shown the signs of COVID-19. 

When CAPITAL POST contacted an official of the FMC in the relevant department,  he confirmed that one Mr.  Johnson Ikemini died of coronavirus,  but pleaded not to be named. 
Said he:  “The late official was said to have been battling with pneumonia before he was brought here by his colleagues. 

“We subjected him to various medical diagnosis which later turned out to be COVID-19 and he died on Saturday.” 

Sources within the security circle at the Government House,  which was the late Johnson Ikemini’s beat confirmed to our investigator that he died of COVID-19. 

In what started like rumour that precipitated our investigation,  some persons have allegedly died of coronavirus at the Federal Medical Centre,  Lokoja,  an allegation that the Hospital denied severally. 

The management of the FMC and Kogi State government have been on the same page in downplaying the COVID-19 reality in Kogi State to the extent that both have jointly denied media reports of any victim of COVID-19.

Though,  governor Yahaya Bello has been consistent in denying the presence of coronavirus pandemic in Kogi State,  facts have emerged that the emergency COVID-19 centre at the Federal Medical Centre might have been occasioned by the reality of the virus which was made available to him confidentially by the management of the Federal Medical Centre,  Lokoja. 

When the situation became contingent for the establishment of COVID-19, the governor ordered for emergency centre and asked for the transfer of some beddings from the Kogi State Specialist Hospital. 

CAPITAL POST  learnt that about eight beddings were moved from the Specialist Hospital Lokoja to the FMC  emergency Centre orders from the Government House,  when it was confirmed that officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have been detailed to visit Kogi State to carry out tests in line with their mandate. 

It was the emergency conversation that attracted the attention of  NCDC/NTF on the need to visit Kogi State  a development that didn’t go down well for the governor who seems to be covering up the presence of the virus in past weeks. 

The State government became infuriated  because the NCDC team which was led by Doctor Noah Oguche would unravel the status of coronavirus in the State particularly at a  time that the late Johnson Ikemini was battling with the coronavirus related ailment.

 
It is recalled that when the NCDC/PTF on COVID-19 officials visited the State,  the governor while reacting to the team’s mission at the Government House insisted that they must be quarantined for 14 days before they are allowed to work.   A situation that forced the team to retreat back to Abuja given that the governor was not ready for them. 

Part of the NCDC official’s mission to Kogi State was the training of Health workers on the COVID-19 and donation of testing Kits and other medical equipment that would have assisted the State in tackling the pandemic.