TheCable

Ibrahim Baba, a former house of representatives member, who recently raised the alarm over “the massive outbreak of coronavirus” in Azare, Katagum local government area of Bauchi state, says the federal government has responded.

In a letter dated May 8, 2020, Baba had said over 100 people died from COVID-19 in the town within one week.

He had asked the president to come to the aid of the people, also appealing that a facility that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) built at the Federal  Medical Centre, Azare, should be converted into a treatment centre for COVID-19 patients.

Although Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi governor, had dismissed his claim, saying 100 people died in a month and not a week, Baba said most of the recommendations he made had been adopted by the president.

“Your Excellency, Sir, I write to express my profound gratitude over the prompt attention and response that you gave to my appeal for assistance over the unusual deaths occurring in Azare town and environs, which are suspected to be due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” he wrote in another letter dated May 11.

“I am particularly glad that as soon as you received and read my letter of appeal, you immediately directed that the ophthalmology unit and laboratory I mentioned in my letter should be commissioned and handed to the management of Federal Medical Center, Azare. I have just received information this evening that the commissioning and handover has been done as directed by you. Not only that, you also dispatched a team of experts from the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force to go to Azare with immediate effect to assess the situation in the area and then set up all the necessary mechanisms that will fight the scourge.

“Your Excellency, Sir, I lack words enough to capture or express the extent of joy and gratitude that I feel at this moment over the prompt response you have given to my request, and I believe it is the same feeling all over Azare town and, in fact, Bauchi State entirely. It is simply a confirmation of the fact that you are a listening and caring leader who is always faithfully committed to the cause of the people of this country.”

Baba also asked the president not to forget his request on palliatives for the people of Azare.

He also shared the pictures below as evidence that a treatment centre is being set up in the town.