Improperly kitted persons at Abba Kyari’s burial ‘being’ isolated – FCTA

Individuals who were not properly kitted at the burial of Abba Kyari, the former chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Saturday have been isolated, said Mohammed Kawu, the acting secretary of Health and Human Services Secretariat, FCT Administration.

Kyari died of coronavirus on Friday at the First Cardiology Consultants in Lagos. His corpse was flown to Abuja where he was interred at a short ceremony attended by tens of people.

Eyewitnesses accounts, video clips and pictures from the burial site showed that many who were in attendance were not properly kitted to attend such a ceremony.

One of the officials that carried out the burial was seen in a viral video disposing of his personal protective equipment (PPE) near the scene of the burial without taking proper precautions.

The presidential order on social distance was also clearly violated.

“Some politicians decided to organise a prayer session, hereby breaching the Presidential order & @NCDCgov guideline on social distancing, but no action will be taken because ‘proximity to power’,” said Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi, the founder, Stand to End Rape and a coronavirus survivor.

Authorities said the PPE left over by the official has been professionally evacuated and the entire cemetery decontaminated.

“All the individuals including the man in question that participated in the burial and were not properly kitted have been identified and are being isolated,” Kawu said.

“Necessary tests will be conducted on all of them to determine their level of exposure and ensure that they do not infect other people.”

The Administration said it will take steps to ensure that all future burials of victims of COVID 19 are conducted in line with protocols established by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).