Rumour of suspected case scares passengers at Kano airport

• Schools comply with closure order as govt shuts down civil service
• Kaduna imams suspend prayers

Fears of the dreaded Coronavirus yesterday disrupted domestic activities at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), as a passenger of an airline developed a strange illness on board.

The incident occurred when the pilot refused to open the doors of the plane a few minutes after landing as he noticed that the passenger was vomiting, a development many thoughts was a suspected case of Covid-19.

The Guardian learnt that the development of disrupted routine activities at the domestic wing of the airport for several hours.

A source at the airport disclosed that the pilot’s refusal to allow the passengers to disembark after landing was to allow the emergency response team of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) to handle the matter.

“Soon after the plane landed the attention of the airport was drawn to the development. Almost immediately the NCDC team arrived and they carried out disinfected the aircraft by spraying the plane and passengers, before allowing the passengers to disembark, while the affected passenger was taken away on an ambulance.

Confirming the development, Co-chairman of Kano State Emergency Response team, Professor Abdulrazaq Garba Habeeb, said the development was a rumour, saying the passenger had not shown any symptoms of the disease.

However, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in a statement by its General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Henrietta Yakubu, assured members of the public that the development would not stop domestic flights at MAKIA, insisting that besides suspension of international flights, domestic flights remain.

Besides, schools in some parts of Kano have complied with the state government’s directive to shut down in order to curb the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.

The Guardian learnt that most of the schools in the metropolis were closed and only a few persons were seen around their premises.

At Kawaji Boys Secondary School, Day Science and Lufaloy Schools, only a few teachers were seen discussing, while at Rumfa College, Bennie International School, Intercontinental and Federal Government College, Kano, only security personnel and few people were sighted.

Also, the Kano State government has shut down civil service and directed all workers to remain at home for 14 days.

Unlike similar directive imposed by Federal and other state government, the stay-at-home policy, which covers all category of workers, takes immediate effect.

Declaring the directive shortly after the weekly state executive council meeting, Commissioner for Information, Muhammad Garba, said the measure was part of several decisions that would be taken to curtail the spread of the deadly virus to Kano.

MEANWHILE, the council of Imams and Ulama, Kaduna State Chapter, has suspended the congregational Friday and five daily prayers whose population exceeded 20 persons until further notice due to Covid-19 pandemic.

Secretary General of the Council, Malam Yusuf Arrigasiyyu, stated this in a statement yesterday in Kaduna, saying, “We advice all Juma’at Mosque and all five daily prayers whose population exceeds 20 to suspend congregational prayers until further notice.

He insisted that the directive was in line with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad and urged all Muslims to adhere strictly to all precautionary advice against the spread of Coronavirus in Nigeria.