The Presidency on Sunday explained why it directed ministers and journalists that attended the burial of the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, to stay away from the Aso Rock Villa.
Those who attended the burial in Abuja on Saturday included National Coordinator COVID-19, Dr Sani Aliyu; former Governor of Borno State, Senator Kashim Shettima; and Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika. Others are the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mele Kyari; Minister of Communications, Isa Pantami and Garba Shehu.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, in a series of tweets, said, “This (the directive) is in line with the standard rules put in place by the National Center for Disease Control and the Federal Ministry of Health. You do these things to stop the spread of #Coronavirus
“For the most part, the Villa has operated digitally in the last few weeks, so there is really nothing new to this.“
An online medium, SaharaReporters, had reported that those who attended the attendees were not allowed into the State House and told to self-isolate for a minimum of 14 days.
Stay away from Villa, Presidency tells journalists at burial
In another statement on Sunday, the Presidency told the media staff and State House correspondents who covered or attended the burial to self-isolate for the next 14 days.
The Deputy Director, Information, State House, Attah Esa, in a statement titled ‘Advisory to State House Correspondents/Media Staff,’ said, “As a precautionary measure, all State House Correspondents and Media Office Staff who covered/attended the funeral prayer/burial ceremony of the late Chief of Staff, at Defence House and Gudu Cemetery Abuja, respectively, are strongly advised to work from home for the next 14 days.”
A top government source, who confided in one of our correspondents, said, “It is not unconnected with the fact that they did not maintain social distancing. Besides many of them were not well-kitted. Some did not wear face masks. Such a directive is necessary to prevemnt the spread of the virus to the villa.”
Recall that the late chief of staff contracted the virus during his trip to Germany. Two of his aides were diagnosed with the virus.
