BEVERLY HILLS, December 14, (THEWILL) – At least, 26 Nigerian Army Generals and other senior officers have so far tested positive for COVID-19, the Nigerian Army has disclosed.
Four hundred and seventeen are undergoing COVID-19 test after the General Officer Commanding 6 Division Major General Johnson Olu Irefin, died from COVID-19 complications during the annual Chief of Army Staff Conference in Abuja.
Acting Director Army Public Relations Brigadier General Sagir Musa, in a statement disclosed that they now have, a total of 26 confirmed cases after 417 personnel were tested.
According to the statement, all officers and soldiers working at the Army Headquarters are being tested, while “COVID-19 protocols are being strictly enforced across all units and formations of the NA.”
He disclosed that the entire Army Headquarters complex “was thoroughly fumigated on Saturday 12 December 2020.”
The statement read in part, “the Chief of Army Staff’s Annual Conference (COAS) 2020, started on 7 December 2020 with the virtual commissioning of the Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command’s Headquarters at Giri by the President, Commander- in -Chief. Among the attendees was Maj Gen JO Irefin, the late General Officer Commanding 6 Division, based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Same day, at about 9pm, having complained of fever, headache and mild cough, he was taken to Defence Medical Centre, Abuja.
“His medical history revealed that he was treated for malaria with parenteral artemether a week ago at 6 Division Medical Services and Hospital in Port Harcourt Barracks. On Wednesday 8 December 2020, his sample for COVID 19 was taken and he was directed to self-isolate pending the outcome of the test. On the same day, the result of his COVID 19 test was confirmed positive and was taken to Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital, Abuja for further management.
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“Sadly, he passed on at about 0510 hours on Thursday 10th of December 2020. The cause of his death was reported as respiratory failure secondary to the complications of COVID 19 infection.
“On the confirmation that Gen Irefin’s COVID19 test was positive on 9 December 2020, the Chief of Army Staff directed the immediate suspension of the conference and all participants were directed to move into self-isolation in line with FGN protocols on COVID 19 pandemic.
“Equally, comprehensive testing of all participants commenced immediately.
“Consequently, as at Sunday the 13th of December 2020, a total of 417 personnel have so far been tested with 26 confirmed positive cases. Currently, all participants are in self-isolation irrespective of their results while Nigeria Centre for Disease Control recommended COVID-19 treatment drugs were immediately issued to those that tested positive.
“Accordingly, all officers and soldiers working at the Army Headquarters are being tested and COVID-19 protocols being strictly enforced across all units and formations of the NA. Meanwhile, the entire Army Headquarters complex was thoroughly fumigated on Saturday 12 December 2020.”
The affected senior army officers were attendees of the 2020 Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja.
They were said to have had contact with the late Maj-Gen Olu Irefin, who died from Covid-19-related complications last week.
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Gen Irefin visited some of his colleagues at home before he attended the conference.
To curtail further spread of the virus, the NCDC directed all the officers who attended the conference and their family members who have been in contact with them to self-isolate for a week.
The army officers were mostly those who came from outside Abuja and have been tested by officials of the NCDC.
The venue of the aborted conference, the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Asokoro, was decontaminated by health officials at the weekend.
Irefin, who was the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division of the Army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, took ill at the 2020 Chief of Army Staff Conference last week and was taken to the hospital. He was tested and found positive for Covid-19. He died while receiving treatment.
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