CORONAVIRUS: CONFIRMED CASES IN NIGERIA RISE TO 36 AS ONE DEATH IS RECORDED

LATE SULEIMAN ACHIMUGU

Nigeria confirmed its first fatality from coronavirus, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said in a tweet on Monday.

The 67-year-old man, Suleiman Achimugu, died in the capital Abuja after returning to Nigeria following a medical procedure in the United Kingdom.

Achimugu, a former managing director of Nigeria's Pipelines and Product Marketing Company, had underlying medical conditions including multiple myeloma and diabetes and he was also undergoing chemotherapy, the NCDC said.

In a statement, his family said he died on Sunday, "some days" after returning from the UK, and had self-isolated before experiencing symptoms and going to a specialist hospital for testing and treatment.

The statement read thus:

Inna_Lillahi_wa_inna_ilayhi_rajiun

 Our family is deeply saddened to inform you of the sudden death of our beloved Father, Uncle, Brother and friend. Engr. Suleiman Achimugu (former Md of PPMC). He died of COVID 19 on 22/03/2020 some days after he arrived in Nigeria from the UK. He was in self-isolation upon his return from the UK and personally called NCDC after experiencing some discomfort that are related to COVID 19 symptoms. He tested positive and was promptly evacuated to the specialist hospital. He died while receiving treatment. We implore the general public to pray upon his soul and the recovery of infected persons. Your thoughts and prayers would be appreciated. Please maintain the public social distancing and restriction advice as we all walk through this very difficult time. He has since been buried according to Islamic rites. May Allah SWA have mercy on him. Ameen 

ABUBAKAR ACHIMUGU FOR THE FAMILY

Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, confirmed five new cases of coronavirus on Monday, two of whom were travellers who had returned from the United Kingdom.

There are now 36 confirmed cases, 25 of which are in the commercial capital Lagos, a city with some 20 million residents. Two patients have been discharged.

A member of the Task Force stands as the main gate to the Celestial Church of Christ is being opened for inspection to enforce the government directive against social gatherings in Makoko in Lagos, on March 22, 2020.

On Sunday, the governor of Lagos state called on all non-essential government workers to work from home and practice social distancing for at least two weeks, and appealed to the private sector to do the same.