Buni orders closure of Yobe borders from April 1

• Inaugurates COVID-19 panel
• Bauchi creates four isolation centres

Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni has ordered the closure of the state’s borders from Wednesday, April 1, 2020. The latest any of the borders are expected to be open is midnight of Tuesday, March 31.

According to a statement by the Director-General, Press and Media Affairs to the Governor, Mamman Mohammed, the closure is to guard against the spread of the deadly Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) into the state.

The neighbouring states affected by the order are Borno, Bauchi and Jigawa. It also affects the Niger Republic in the north.

Buni, however, expressed gratitude to God for sparing the state so far from the pandemic.

He said despite the state’s zero status, the government had taken adequate measures by establishing isolation centres with equipment and constituting a committee on COVID-19 under the chairmanship of the deputy governor, Idi Barde Gubana.

The 21-member Rapid Response Team (RRT), he noted, was established to closely monitor any suspicious case.

“As we remain grateful that we have no single case up to the closure of borders, the people should adhere strictly to medical advice, avoid over-crowded gatherings along with regular washing of hands with soap and use of hand sanitisers.”

The COVID-19 RRT comprises commissioners of relevant ministries and the chairman of the state council of chiefs.

Meanwhile, Bauchi State has created four isolation centres to accommodate people that have been infected with COVID-19.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Aliyu Maigoro, said the four centres spread across Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH); Specialist Hospital, Bauchi; Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Azare; and General Hospital, Toro.

When The Guardian visited the isolation centre at ATBUTH, one of the two cases recorded in the state was receiving treatment.

An official told our correspondent that one of the patients, a top government official, had rejected the isolation centre in the Specialist Hospital due to the condition of the facilities.

He reportedly left for his house inside GRA later but was returned to the ATBUTH facility.

Bauchi has recorded two confirmed cases of COVID-19, including Governor Bala Mohammed, while 70 persons have been sent on self-isolation.

The state has also set up a task force led by the deputy governor, Baba Tela, for the pandemic.